Sanctuary
by RT4ever
Summary: The silence in Jason Morgan’s apartment was overwhelming and the only person to cure that silence was the one he’d never expected to matter…BRAZEN. Complete.
1. Silence

**So statements from me:**

1) HATE just about everything 'mob' related they've done in GH.

a. DESTROYED Sonny.

b. Close to destroying Jason.

c. Sam now annoys me (she and Jason did soo well at the beginning)

d. They completely wasted Ric and Alcazar, why bring two GREAT actors onto the show to waste them?

2) Former Sonny and Brenda shipper. He's been destroyed, there's no saving him on the show. Maybe we could make this all some twisted dream and the past five years haven't happened and it's all been an after-life dream.

3) Former Jason and Carly shipper and while I (at the moment) don't hate Carly as much as I did for the past few years, there's no going back to what they once had.

4) That leaves only….

Yuppers this is a BRAZEN. Yes I'm aware I didn't finish my last, I was in peak hating GH mode (which is actually shocking since I continue to hate it, but I've been watching since I was 8 so I can't just walk away). This was meant to be a one shot deal, but at the rate that's going that would end up being waaay too long for me to write it if no one is going to like it. If you like this then reply. I'm thinking either 2 or 3 parts after these, which should be completed in about a two week period.

Timeline for the story…AU from somewhere after Jason and Sam split up, I was going to say before Jason and Liz slept together, but it was Brenda's room that inspired me to write this, so early September 2006.

Sidenote: If these first two parts don't mesh, I apologize, they're actually two different starts to the story, but it wasn't within me to actually scrap either.

**Thanks for reading!**

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**Jason's Penthouse-**

The apartment was quiet. Too quiet. He never would have envisioned how accustomed he became to sound. It had been forced upon him in the beginning, but as the years passed he realized how much he'd miss it when it was gone.

All those empty nights and days when he'd been gone from Port Charles he'd craved the sound of Carly's whining, Michael's cries, the same breath he cursed Robin he would have given anything to be listening to her explain some oddity of human nature that he was expected to engage in or at least not condone in others.

One weak night had found him in front of her building in Paris, finger hovering over the buzzer ready to admit, 'You were right.'

Carly had betrayed him and he'd lost Michael forever, only forever had been his fault, he'd walked away from his son and by the time he came back, his son belonged to another man.

People seemed to believe a lot of things about him: that he didn't hold grudges, that he wasn't resentful…

They were wrong.

He didn't care how happy Sonny and Michael were with the arrangement; it didn't make it hurt any less like they always said it should.

It was just so quiet now. He had felt it before Sam left. When the ruckus Michael and Morgan would create would travel down the hallway or through open windows. Michael flinging open the door, Carly strolling in unannounced as if she lived there, Sonny with a short knock.

It had been too quite before Sam left, before he threw her out.

Now the silence pounded in his head just like all those lonely nights had before as he regretted his actions, wondering if he should have stayed, wondering about all the things he did wrong, he should have done sooner. He'd known who Carly was, he didn't know what he'd been expecting from her, she'd behaved just as she always had and always would, he had condemned her for being who she was.

After Liz he found he couldn't stay in the bed he'd shared with Sam; certainly not in the one she'd slept in on her own. He'd tried staying in Brenda's bed the night that immediately followed, but found the scent too strong. At four o'clock in the morning he'd found himself stripping off the sheets and shoving them into the wash.

He found himself remembering fights with Robin as he made the bed, 'I don't understand, why go through all that when you're just going to mess it up again?'

'Because you just do Jason,' she smiled as she tucked everything back in.

He thought about Brenda as he continued to lay awake that night. Thought about his words to Elizabeth as they lay in this very bed, she was never coming back, but just in case…

He looked at her things only faintly visible in the darkened room and found himself craving sound.

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_Thanks for reading this far, I hope you proceed to chapter 2._


	2. Sanctuary

He'd told Liz, he'd always wanted her to have somewhere to call home, to feel safe.

He never wanted her to actually need it.

He wanted to believe things had finally turned around for her.

Wanted to believe she'd found it in someone else. Someone not like her father, the man that he'd listened to Sonny curse about for long drunken nights after her death. Powerful, distant, dangling affection only to tear it away when the smallest thing wouldn't live to his high standards.

The three men he watched claim to love her had hurt her down to her very soul. Sonny had almost destroyed her, Luis had made her doubt everything about herself and Jax had simply made it seem as if it were all her fault.

He'd been hoping though, hoping she would have finally found acceptance, he'd heard it in her voice, 'He's different Jase,' she'd whispered over the phone as if speaking it aloud would destroy its magic.

He'd wanted to believe it.

A model/actor.

Not a household name, not even a name that caused a whole city to quiver in fear.

Moderately successful.

He'd heard her smiles over the phone as she told him about Jared, smiles and her need for his approval. That same phone call told him she was pregnant.

With the small person he saw now in her arms, he knew his dreams for her hadn't come true.

Tears had started to well in her eyes, but he knew from the red rimmed eyes this hadn't been the first time they'd fallen today, a few streaked down her cheeks highlighting what no amount of makeup could cover under the circumstances, a bruise just starting to form.

She didn't say anything she just looked at him, clutching her son. A son he hadn't been able to think much about because he'd been born less than two months after Sam's daughter, only he had taken breath and survived.

Tim, one of the trust bodyguards Sonny kept stationed outside of Harbor Lights, despite Jason's arguments that he didn't need them, finally spoke, "I saw her getting out of the cab Mr. Morgan."

_"Oh shit is that Brenda?" he asked as he was taking a sip of coffee. _

_"You know I think it might be,' Christopher said taking a long look. _

_They watched her as she started to argue with a pushy cab driver and he rushed forward. _

_"Mrs. Morgan," he said coming to her aid as she was trying to take her bags from the cab driver. _

_She turned, "It's Barrett." _

_"You know her?" the cab driver turned with a thick Italian accent. _

_"Yea look, does she owe you anything?" he started to pull out his wallet. _

_"Nah she paid," he nodded, "she just didn't like she was in any state to take these things up on her own." _

_"I would have been fine," she muttered and pulled her son in closer to her. _

_"It looks like she hurt her wrist pretty bad; I think she needs to go to the hospital." _

_"Don't worry, we'll make sure she gets taken care of," he said going to take her bags. _

_Mistrust suddenly flooded the older man's eyes and he turned back to the woman, who had suddenly gone quiet, "Miss I can take you somewhere else." Her bruises, her sudden refusal to speak… _

_She shook her head. _

_"Miss," the cabdriver tried again, he had a daughter not much younger than her. _

_"I'm fine now," her voice was raspy. _

_The cabdriver's stance softened. _

_"Ms. Barrett will be safe here," Tim promised, "I give you my word." _

_The cab driver sighed and released the meager bags he held to Tim's awaiting hand. _

_The cab driver walked over and with a hand on Brenda's arm, he softly asked, "Are you sure Miss?" _

_She nodded. _

_"Thank you for your help," Tim said pressing a few more bills into the cab driver's hand as he went to grab the stroller, complete with car seat resting atop it, that Brenda was standing by. _

_The cab driver simply nodded and repeatedly looked back worriedly as he made his way over to the driver's side. _

_"Mr. Morgan will be glad to see you," Tim said with a smile. _

_She turned on her heel and headed into the building without saying a word. _

He just stared at her and the baby with large cheeks and dark curls slumbering against her shoulder that she clutched to her for dear life. "Uh," he turned to the man, who had brought them up, "thank you," he nodded.

Tim nodded back as they all remained in their places even though it was evident that Tim had been dismissed. "According to the cab driver, sir, she's hurt her wrist, bad enough that he thinks she should get it checked out."

"Its fine," she finally spoke softly.

Jason didn't know how to react, he didn't believe her for a second. "Is this all you brought?" he asked. One duffel and one diaper bag, he took them from Tim.

She nodded.

He pulled out his wallet and took out his credit card, handing it over to Tim, "I need you to go and get everything you think they'll need for the time being, crib, mattress, sheets, diapers," he turned to Brenda, "what size is he?"

"3's good," she answered.

"Food?" he looked at her again.

"He can eat what you…" she chuckled, she turned to Tim with a suddenly sweet smile, "Any of those toddler meals should be fine, they're like junk food to him and bananas, he loves bananas, applesauce too and milk."

"Wipes, shampoo, soap?"

"I don't know," her face started to scrunch, "I don't know what I brought or…"

"Look just use your judgment Tim. Call me if you have an issue with the card," he ordered.

"Juice," she called out as Tim started to walk away, "like real fruit not that fake sugary stuff."

"Will do Miss Barrett," he nodded.

Tears started to fall as she finally walked through the doorway and Jason closed it after pulling inside the stroller.

"Brenda," he began.

"I didn't know where else to go," her face started to crumple.

"You came to the right place," he promised as he cupped her with one arm close to him, careful not to crush the child in between them.

He didn't say anything, he didn't ask anything he just held her and let her curls tickle his nose along with the fresh baby scent.

"I don't know what happened," was the soft cry that followed.

"Jared hit you," it wasn't a question, but a statement.

"He's been kind of out of control the past few months, but it wasn't really anything and then last night…"

"Last night," Jason backed away for that. _Why was she at his house just after 5, if this had happened last night? _

"I didn't want a confrontation Jase, I just wanted to leave," she explained. "I don't know what happened we were so happy and then I got this stupid little part in a movie last minute."

_It wasn't stupid and it wasn't little. She'd been bursting with excitement when she told him about it two months ago. Solid cast, good script, good director, she'd been ecstatic since she normally only got offered bad indie flicks or B movies. _

"So he got jealous and he hit you?"

"He was on something I don't know what, he's just been weird and…"

"He's been-"

"I didn't know this would happen Jason," her voice suddenly pitched higher in her defense, but when it stirred the little boy in her arms she quickly lowered it, "I just thought it was something we needed to work out."

"I'm not saying this is your fault Brenda," his arms went out in an apologetic truce, "but you should have called me."

"Yea that would have gone real well, 'Hey Jase, my boyfriend's been a little grumpy.'" Her voice deepened, "'Well he is dating you, Brenda.'"

His head shook, "Whatever. Do you think he's going to try to follow you or stay in London?"

She didn't look surprised at his knowledge of her whereabouts, _he always knew where she was. _"I don't want you sending anyone after him."

"I'm not going to do anything," he explained, "I'm just going to let him know he forfeited any rights to his son, the moment he laid a hand on you." _He knew not a finger had been laid on the little boy in her arms, he would have received a call about Brenda being in jail for murder if that had happened. _

"Jason, please don't," she begged. "I just want to forget all about him."

"While you're raising his son? Somehow I doubt that's possible."

"Jason,' her voice raised again and the baby stirred, she moved to shift him and flinched.

Jason instantly lurched forward forgetting the phone in his hand and letting it drop to the desk. He plucked the little boy from her arms, who instantly awoke and looked around confused.

Jason was confronted with the blue eyes that looked up more in confusion than alarm. He'd expected the baby to have her eyes, along with her hair and cheeks, but instead a blue that reminded him of the island's sky just as a storm was starting to approach.

Brenda didn't say anything as she watched a smile creep along Jason's features, "Hey it's okay, I'm Jason, your mom's right over there," a free hand went to point at Brenda.

She took a step over as her son started to babble, "Mama," and reach out for her.

She took his hand, "Hey Eddie, have a good nap."

"I still can't believe you named him that," Jason muttered.

"Edward is a very good, strong name, it's the name of kings and one man, who happens to think he's a god," she made a face at Eddie and then smiled at Jason.

"Luckily your name does not define you," he promised the boy. He nodded at Brenda, "Let me see your wrist." The baby worn out from his tiring day and the late hour placed his head against the soft gray of Jason's tee-shirt and fell back asleep.

"Its fine, I just landed on it wrong," she pulled it behind her.

"Landed where wrong?"

She laughed as if amazed by her stupidity at not seeing the signs she so clearly saw now, "Kitchen floor."

"We're going to GH," he said going to grab the diaper bag from where he'd dropped it on the floor.

"Look Jase," she said following him, "it's fine really," but she didn't dare risk actually attempting to show him that, she just held it out and tried not to flinch at the movement, just as she'd been trying all day.

"Or it's fractured or sprained and I want to get your cheek checked out too. Did he hit you anywhere else? And please just be honest now, you know it'll eventually come out and I'd rather save us some time."

She shook her head, "He grabbed me and when I pulled away, he went out after me, he spun me into the fridge, when I tried to leave he hit me, that's when I fell."

Jason had long been seeing red, but hearing it aloud made him wonder if steam was coming out of his ears. "If you ever think of forgiving him," he began to order.

"How stupid do I look Jase?" she asked.

"You did almost marry Jax a few times," he said with a straight face.

She laughed. "Jase, I don't want to put you out," she said seriously, "I can go stay at a hotel or the Quartermaines." Now that she was here she felt stupid. She ran first thought later, _story of her life._

"Considering Carly and Jax now own the only decent hotel in town and Tracy is living at home again. I think I'm your best option, this has always been your home if you needed it," he tacked on the end casually.

"But what about Sam?"

"Sam doesn't live here anymore," he replied bluntly.

"What happened?"

"It doesn't matter,"

"Jase-"

"Your room's still there, the bed's made…"

"But-"

"Bren," he said her name brusquely, "we both know you're going to go to the hospital, we both know you're going to stay here, how about we put off fighting about it until we're back from the hospital and the kid's down for the night because I have a feeling he's been through enough today and it's already 10 his time."

She looked at her son guiltily.

"You did nothing wrong Brenda," Jason promised as he walked over to her. It was a bad situation; you took your son out of it."

"And took him away from the only father he's ever known," she said stroking her son's curls.

"A father who didn't deserve him, your family and his family is here. He'll be happy here."

She nodded and looked up with a sad smile, "Let me freshen up?"

He nodded, "I'll call Robin, if she's not on, I'm sure she'll come in."

"Thanks," she nodded again. She flinched as she went to pick up her bag with her right hand.

Jason frowned, "I thought you hurt your left?"

A shake of her head, "Right's been trying to make up for that all day," she explained as she hunkered down instead to open her bag.

He was already walking over to check on her wrist when he realized the reason her bag had been so heavy hadn't been shoes as he'd expected, but books, photo albums was his guess.

She looked up, "I couldn't leave those behind."

"I'll send someone for your things," he said realizing she didn't have much.

She shook her head, "Its fine," she said standing with a makeup bag to re-cover her bruise and hopefully return her to as human-like appearance as she could manage so as to not scare Robin. "It's just stuff, I can buy new stuff."

"I'll send someone for your things," he repeated. "I'll send someone out shopping for you tomorrow for the time being."

She didn't exactly look pleased, but she wasn't fighting with him either, that worried him.

"Or you and I can go shopping."

"I can go shopping on my own Jase," she pointed out.

"Oh really?" he asked, "With what hands?"

She looked woeful.

"Come on Brenda, what's the problem? You used to love it when I was your whipping boy?"

She shrugged and shook her head. She looked at him for a moment, "I screwed up Jase. Probably worse than I ever did before," her voice was small and the look she gave him made him want to take her into his arms, something he tried to avoid doing unless is was a life or death situation or that one time…

"Come on, go get ready. I'm going to call and get a car brought around," he nodded at her as he turned towards the phone once more. Robin would be able to handle this, be able to say the words he couldn't find to bring Brenda comfort.

When the phone calls were done and Robin was left frantic sounding he settled himself onto the couch still holding the sleeping boy and remembered the last time he saw her…

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_So continue or not?_


	3. The Last Time

Hmm okay so my original 'the last time they saw each other,' is the very final part of this story. A mere 300 words (more have since been added); this chapter is suddenly over 3000. I blame you, the excellent readers. You guys made me feel loved with the reviews for the last chapters. I'm with you, I totally love Brazen, though maybe in some ways I'm thankful the show never allowed for anything more than their great banter and fights, since the show does seem to kill all that is good that is good eventually. Brazen can remain unflawed in our minds and hehe SHE got mentioned while he was in bed with Liz and he still keeps her room the same 3/4 years later??? D

Sorry for any confusion between the last two chapters, one was just a random slice of Jason's thought prior to her arrival (be it days or hours). This chapter is where Jason's thoughts were leading him at the end of the last chapter, their last encounter.

And if you don't like it, well it's your own fault because as I said you guys made me feel so loved, this scene just wouldn't stop being written.

I hope you enjoy.

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**_The Last Time… _**

"Hey Brenda," the photographer called out seeing Jason being led into the room as she conferred with an assistant over a laptop, "your husband's here," she smiled at Jason.

He looked over at her in dismay.

Brenda came bustling into the room half dressed, Jason turned to look at her in a continuing state of disbelief. "It was annulled, according to the great state of New York, we were never married. Hey Jason," she smiled and rushed over kissing him quickly on the cheek.

He was taken aback by the friendly greeting, "Hello Brenda."

"I didn't think you'd actually come," she said referring to the offer of a visit she'd made upon calling to tell him she'd be in New York for a shoot, while once more offering condolences on the end of his marriage, knowledge courteous only of Emily.

_'I don't know, maybe,' had been his response. _

_'Look, I'll send you my schedule if you decide you want to get out of Port Charles for awhile.' _

He turned up on her very last day.

"Neither did I," he admitted. He'd gotten on his bike to just go run out to Kelly's to get food, next thing he realized he was on the thruway.

"I'm glad you came," she smiled, putting a hand on his cheek and looking into his eyes.

"Me too. How long do you think you're going to be?"

"Another half hour, hour?" Brenda asked turning to the photographer.

She nodded, "Somewhere in there. We just need to change some of these lights around still."

Brenda turned back to Jason, "We suddenly realized my old dress turned see thru in the lights."

_A few minutes too late, story of his life. _

"Do you want to have a seat or do you want to go walk around? I can call you when we're done," her hand waved as she asked and he caught the only other straight guy in the room willfully staring at her, hoping the meager scraps of fabric she was holding to herself would fall.

"I'll wait here," he nodded curtly.

"Okay," she let out a short smile along with her nod, "you make yourself comfortable, I'll go get dressed."

As she left the room Jason turned to look at the other man on the opposite side of the room.

"Dammit Damian," she photographer cursed as a light was nearly taken out by the other man's suddenly clumsy moves, only to be saved by him at the very last moment.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"So your non-husband is quite the talker isn't it?" Linda, the photographer said loud enough for Jason to hear as she gave a final adjustment to Brenda's hair.

"He talks, we fight," Brenda replied with a serious face.

"We fight even when I'm not talking," he retorted from across the room.

"Trust me, he's doing something to deserve it," Brenda said not even bothering to look at him.

"Like breathing," he explained.

"Ah, nice to know you two have remained so close even after your annulment," Linda said walking back.

"We actually get along really well now," Brenda said moving into a pose.

"I no longer have dreams of smothering her while she's asleep," he offered.

She let out a tender smile before responding, "Or shoving the Lambros where the sun don't shine."

"The what?" the photographer asked with a smile as she continued clicking.

"It's my-" Jason began.

At the same time Brenda, "It's his-" she won out by his manners in front of others, "it's the big overpriced stick Jason likes to play with."

"A very well made pool cue," he clarified.

Linda smiled pleased with her subject's new company, pretty sure she'd gotten better photos in the past minute than she had in all their previous time.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"So where to?" Brenda asked strolling out in a pair of jeans and a gray tank showing a peak of her tanned, flat midriff.

Jason smirked to himself realizing the former wanna be peeping Tom was now purposelessly diverting his eyes and trying to look busy.

"Oh you guys should go to Dona," Linda offered forgetting that she was conferring with someone once more over her laptop.

He simply looked at Brenda. _Dona, _that just didn't sound good, sounded like the kind of places he'd actively avoided in his life.

"Uh yea no," she laughed, "I think we're gonna do something more jeans and tee-shirt and probably somewhere that serves tequila shots," she laughed a little louder.

"Don't you have to be on a plane tomorrow?" the photographer asked.

"Yup at 10," she nodded enthusiastically, "which means all I have to do is roll over shove my clothing into the suitcase and roll into the car, then pass out on the plane."

"You might want to try to brush your teeth somewhere in there as well," Jason threw in.

Linda laughed, "I like him," she nodded.

"He grows on you," Brenda laughed as she threw on a jacket to guard against the cooling nighttime spring air.

"Is that all you're wearing out?" he asked in shock. Brenda was high maintenance if the apartment changed from its set 73 degrees, he'd never hear the end of it.

"Guessing that means it got cold pretty damn quick, we better find those tequila shots," she smiled and called out her goodbyes.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"I don't want to talk about Courtney," Jason said slamming the empty shot glass onto their table.

That was the one thing he liked about Brenda, after all was said and done and all the high maintenance cracks she could at least pull off normal. Jeans and a tank, the heavy makeup she'd been wearing wiped clean off and her hair pulled back into a ponytail, which was part of the ritual she'd just engaged in to take the shot. A ritual he was pretty sure had taken over a minute and a half from the time they'd gotten them to it actually sliding down her throat.

It was nice that she fit into dive bars; she'd made a face when her arm had stayed connected to the table early on in their arrival, but no fit that they had to leave and he was guessing by the face she made after finishing taking a chaser of her beer, she wouldn't even be doing the face for much longer.

"Talking might help," she said making a gasping face afterwards, "was that stronger than normal?" she asked pointing down at it.

"We'll switch to something weaker."

"No," she shook her head, "it's fine." With that she signaled to the waitress for two more.

He smiled, _worked every time. _

"So no Courtney, what are we supposed to talk about?"

"Not Sonny or Jax."

She gave him a look, "You know my life doesn't actually revolve around them."

"Oh really since when?"

"Since I'm on like my thirtieth shot at life and figured I should actually start living it for me," she pointed her beer at him.

"I'm proud of you," he gestured back with his.

"I think we should toast us," she said moving her beer in closer, "to being happy on our own," she smiled and clinked his beer and then laughed, "or at least working on it."

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Hey Jase," she asked in their slightly crowded position at the next bar, two burgers, several beers and shots later, "think it's weird when all is said and done in our lives that we might have had the healthiest relationship," her beer swooshed as she gestured once more with it between them.

"Please don't say that," he laughed, "that's got to be the scariest thing ever and I've been shot."

She looked up with sad eyes, "You're the only one I'm still friends with."

"I'm also a little frightened by your definition of friends," he answered with a bright and teasing smile, "I can't imagine your enemies."

"You love me and you know it," she laughed.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

_Sometime later… _

"We were married," Brenda boldly announced to her new friends at the bar.

Jason rolled his eyes.

"You **were **married and you guys are still friends?"

"The bestest," she said clutching his arm.

He shook it free and looked down at her as she laughed.

"Come on," one out of the throng of guys that always seemed to flock to Brenda asked, "tell me it isn't hard seeing your ex wife with a new guy."

"Well considering when the minister asked, 'for richer or poorer' she said richer," he answered.

The group laughed.

"Oh no," Brenda turned to them seriously as she realized they thought it was a joke, "I actually did."

"You're kidding," was asked.

"Skipped honor and obey too," she turned to Jason for confirmation.

He nodded.

"Why'd you marry her?" someone laughed.

Jason shrugged, "We were already in Vegas and well," another shrug, "look at her."

She beamed and he knew his statement had been worth it.

He laughed, "Probably should have gotten you to say obey though."

"Yea no, wouldn't have worked anyway," she laughed.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

He took another swig of his beer as Brenda wrapped her arms around one of his as they were talking to someone, her entire body convulsing in laughter. In moments of clarity he wondered who were these people in the bar? Certainly not them.

She had tickled, grabbed, pinched as they talked with their new companions.

He'd held a beer out of her reach in every direction around. Picked her up and spun her out of the way when she was telling a story wrong, he'd also covered her mouth his hand when she was suddenly imparting a little too much in the way of personal details.

He wasn't exactly sure about the grinding.

And grinding was the only word he could find for it as their bodies had been inappropriately pressed against each others during a song that he didn't think either of them had been dancing too. Yet there had been something going tit for tat, pressing, moving…Until someone had called out to them.

"I'm hungry," she whined into his arm.

"And what would you like me to do about that?" he asked flatly.

"Are you guys sure you aren't still married?" someone asked.

"Thankfully no," he answered.

She pouted.

"Want to go grab food?" he asked nevertheless.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

With goodbyes said they grabbed their coats and headed outdoors, her instant shiver had sent him behind her as his arms went around her to warm her, a few quick rubs of his hands along her arms, led to a moment of silence.

"So," he asked, but didn't move, "where do you want to grab food?"

"Uh," she began, "we walked past a convenience store before we could grab some stuff take it back to the hotel, probably have a toothbrush for you," she laughed.

"Hotel promised to have one waiting for me when I check in," he answered relaying the information he'd received as he called to make sure her hotel had an available room.

She broke free of his arms and turned, "You sure they didn't give you the Love Room?"

"There's a Love Room?" he asked with unblinking eyes.

"Also an Erotic Literature Room."

"They wouldn't."

She laughed, "Knowing our luck, I think we can pretty much guarantee you got one of the two."

"We're switching rooms if that happens," he said without laughter.

"Oh come on," she pretty much bounced as they headed down the street, "if you got the literature room, I'll stay up and read you a bed time story."

His eyebrows lifted for that one and a smile crept out as she laughed down the street.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Park and 59th," she said climbing into the cab, "The Archer."

Jason followed in.

"Oh I'm beat," she said suddenly stretching out to lay her head on Jason's lap.

His fingers brushed through her hair and he laughed, "I imagine it must be tiring to stand around and have pictures taken of you all day."

She looked up with a pout, "It is, don't be a jerk," she punched his chest.

He laughed.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Do you need some money?" he asked as the lights turned on in her room.

She laughed and turned, "It's a deluxe, the exact same size as yours," she grabbed the bags from his hands and dropped them down on the small dresser.

"I'm paying 500 a night for a shoebox?" he asked looking around the room.

"It's New York Jase, square feet are scarce."

He shook his head.

"I'm gonna go pee and change, make yourself comfy, kick off your shoes," she nodded.

She grabbed pajama pants from the top of her bag and headed into the bathroom.

He gave another disbelieving look around the room, followed by a shake of his head. He looked down at his outfit and decided to shrug off his jacket, tossing it onto the sole chair in the room.

He moved to grab the bags and once more wondered why the night clerk had given him a tiny paper bag when he'd asked for the promised tooth brush.

"Maybe there wasn't any room for the shampoo and conditioner," he muttered to himself.

He just stared into the opened bag.

"What's so interesting?" Brenda asked walking into the room in a pair of green and white striped pajama bottoms with the same gray tank she'd been wearing. _No bra. _Not surprising for her he knew after living with her.

He pulled out some of the collection contained within his bag.

She laughed and moved to grab them, "Oh man, he thought we were going to…" she laughed some more and waved them in the air.

"Apparently he doesn't know we were married," he joked with a straight face.

She laughed some more. "Oh man do you think he thought you picked me up at a bar?"

"You're a model Brenda," he answered.

"So is half of this city," she laughed still waving them around. "He thinks I'm a one night stand," she seemed giddy at the fact.

"I should be so lucky," he muttered.

"Oh shut up," she hit him, "you're lucky to have me."

"Are we eating or what?" he finally asked.

"Oooh yea," she dove for the bag, "but shoes off," she ordered as she climbed into bed, the only available location.

He looked longingly at the lone chair.

"What Jason? You afraid to be in bed with me? Afraid you can't keep your hands off me?"

He sighed and started to untie his boots.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Just stay here," she yawned as he made a comment about going to his room, having already claimed him as her pillow.

"I just paid how much money for that room?"

"Don't care," she mumbled, "you're comfy."

"Actually no I'm not, I'm in my jeans."

She glared as she pushed up and off of him, "I was comfortable."

"I was not."

"You're not going to your room are you?" she asked with sleepy eyes.

"No," he answered with a shake of his head and grabbed his cell of the nightstand, "what time do you want to be up?"

"Want or need to be up? Because I want to sleep until noon. I need to be up in five hours."

Phone set and pants pulled down and shirt over head.

He caught her looking at him, "What? I need to go home in this later today; I'm not going to be walking around with a giant drool stain from you."

She laughed.

He climbed back into bed.

She sighed as she moved back onto his chest.

Odd how it began when they were both pretty much sober.

Her leg moved up his once, not particularly on purpose.

His fingers moved along the bare side of her waist where he was holding her.

She nuzzled into his chest a bit.

He pulled her a bit closer.

Then her leg moved again and that time his fingers didn't stroke but instead grabbed lightly.

It didn't take long for her to be pulled up towards him and not long after that, he rolled her underneath him.

Eventually hands were flung out in a desperate search for the small package that had been shoved to the nightstand and never gonna happens, happened.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Huh," she said moving away from him as she tucked back the hair that had fallen forward.

She sat up and stared ahead for a minute before looking at him with a confused face, her knees pulled up and the hotel's white sheets pulled around her.

He didn't say anything, wondering if he should get up and get dressed, this was one of those moments he needed Robin, needed the proper protocol for sleeping with your former wife, your best friend's former fiancée.

"We just had sex," she said looking at him; she thought about it for a moment, "we actually just had really great sex." She looked more shocked by that then anything else.

"Was it supposed to be bad?" He asked.

A furthering confused face, "Well bad would have explained why we hadn't done it before."

He laughed. He laughed more at Brenda, with Brenda than he ever did with anyone else.

"Well it's a good point," she focused in on it. "Seriously Jase with all the times I've almost been married and you and I only do it after we aren't anymore."

"If it makes you feel better I'm still married."

"Oh great, I'm an adulterous whore. Again."

"Yea but at least this time both people in the marriage know its over," he offered.

She turned and glared at him, before turning back and shaking her head. She turned back to him, "This doesn't change anything does it?"

"Aside from the fact that we can never again say we've never had sex."

She turned with deadly fear as if it would come up in casual conversations to all.

He couldn't help but laugh.

"Jason now is not the time to screw with me."

He bit his lip on that one.

She burst out laughing a second later, she fell back into the bed, "Oh god Jason we just had sex."

"I know Brenda I was there."

She rolled to face him, "Seriously though, this doesn't change anything right?"

"Aside from the obvious no."

"Jason," she whined.

He realized she'd had enough of him messing with her, "Are you asking if I suddenly want to restate our marriage vows?" he tucked back her hair in an unexpectedly tender move. "The answer is no."

She sighed, "So what now?"

"My choice would be sleep."

She looked confused, "Why do I suddenly feel like it's wrong to sleep on you?"

"I don't know," he replied, "but if I'd known all it would take was us sleeping together to get you to stop annoying me I would have done it years ago."

She slugged him and moved back into her previous spot.

They lay there for awhile, maybe even drifted off for a bit, but in the end it didn't last. Only truly managing real rest for the final half hour before the alarm went off.

_

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_

**Thanks for reading once again, I hope you enjoyed! **

**Brazen Fan: **Hmmm, I could probably pull off a chapter of WWFO for Xmas…


	4. An Abundant Lack of Silence

** The order of this chapter is out to get me. Hence the delay (also decided this story is getting a few more chapters than I intended because otherwise they'll just be too long) . **

**Thanks for reading and the super reviews. I'm glad you guys think I got Brazen down on the last chapter, let's keep our fingers crossed that I don't screw it up. **

* * *

He looked down at the little boy still resting in his arms. 

_He should have gone to California with her. _

He wondered where that thought came from.

Then he wondered how the mere difference of a few weeks had given the baby in his arms a father who had hit his mother.

But then he wouldn't have been with Sam.

He would have been sharing this penthouse with Brenda, with bickering and attitude…

_And where was he now? _

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

_**The Morning After-**_

"Hey Bren," he mumbled, "you've got to get up," a hand struggled to find the cell phone to stop the incessant beeping.

"Uh huh," she nuzzled into his chest.

"Brenda, seriously, you have to get up," he said not moving.

"You first," she mumbled.

"You're the one with the flight," he pointed out.

"I'll take a later one."

"You have dinner plans with that ad person or something," he tried to remember what she had said the night before

She groaned and slowly pushed herself up into a seated position. The sheet fell and she looked down at it for a moment before pulling it back up. "I do not have the energy to deal with this," was all she said.

"Thank god," he muttered and rolled over.

She whacked him over the head with a pillow.

"Oww," he said raising a hand.

She didn't bother responding for a moment as she sat trying to blink out the lull of sleep. "Can you keep your eyes shut?" she asked contemplating pulling out the sheets, but it all just seemed like too much work.

"I've been trying to."

She grumbled something incoherently as she forced herself out of bed, evilly staring at him as she walked around the bed and towards the bathroom.

Once he heard her footsteps past the bed his eyes opened a crack.

She turned as she was stepping into the short hallway that separated the bedroom from the bathroom. "You jerk," she cursed and wished she had something nearby to throw.

He laughed.

"Yea whatever," she said walking away from his sight. "Since you're up, why don't you make yourself useful and figure out where the hell my clothing ended up."

He chuckled as he sat up.

-x-x-X-x-x-

He got out of bed after a few minutes of searching, redressed in the boxers he'd found towards the end of the bed and clutching the lacey blue thong and pj bottoms that had also been shoved down, he nodded at the bed once he stood as he realized the misplaced tank had been bunched above his pillow.

"Found 'em," he called out. "What do you want me to do with them?"

"Just shove them in my bag."

"Uh," he called back as he walked towards the bathroom door, "you mind if I use the bathroom?"

"What," she asked opening it, "you're comfortable enough to sleep with me, but not pee in front of me."

"There were robes?" he asked seeing her now covered in a plush white one.

"Uh yea," she looked at him as if he was an idiot, "did you want one?"

"No," he quickly replied.

"Then why are you asking?" she asked walking past him into the room again.

_Probably because he'd only slept for a half hour. _

He headed into the bathroom, "Just seems odd considering we're packed in like sardines."

"Jase didn't you live in a train car?"

"Yea but I wasn't paying 500 a night for it."

-x-x-X-x-x-

Not long later the minutes were counting down rapidly as Brenda was cursing trying to make sure she had everything.

His tee shirt had just made a return when he was suddenly catching something blue being lobbed at him. He looked down.

"I am not wearing woman's deodorant," was all he said.

"Stop being such a baby, you're going to be on your bike for hours in the sun, wearing a leather jacket, unless you want your jacket to be ruined."

He scowled, but took the top off anyway.

-x-x-X-x-x-

He was cursing at her stuff as they rolled out the door and he somehow managed to roll it over his foot.

"Come with me," she suddenly said, stopping her argument back about her over-packing.

He just looked at her, "To LA?"

"You can't really want to go back yet, so just come with me. I'll be there for at least a week."

"Brenda I can't-"

"Come on, it'll be fun. We can stay at Julia's beach house, you won't need to do anything but swim and surf. You'll like surfing, probably pick it up in no time."

"He surfed," was all Jason said.

"Yea," she nodded, "guessing you tried it and it was like French."

_'You ever surfed before?' the instructor asked, sent to him by the local surf shop who had talked him into lessons after buying a board. _

_'Not that I can remember,' he answered truthfully. _

"Well come on," she continued. "You can teach me or I can lie on the beach. I'm pretty sure we can rent you a bike out there since all Jules keeps in the garage is a Porsche."

"I can't."

"Why not?" she asked not allowing them to move from the spot.

"I just can't Brenda," were the only words he could say to her, to anyone. _He couldn't run again. _

"Fine," she said turning before he could see the hurt.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"I need money," she said as they arrived in the lobby.

He looked at her.

"I forgot to go to the atm."

He shook his head as he went for his wallet, "I'm only doing this for the poor guy who has to deal with your luggage."

"For richer Jason," she reminded.

"We aren't married anymore," he pointed out.

"I could make the argument about how I could have taken a nice chunk in court, but I was nice, but we're in a rush so will you just shut up and give me the money," she laughed towards the end.

"Miss Barrett?" the doorman came up to her, "Your car is here. Shall I take your bags out?"

She nodded, "Thank you," she smiled and swiped the money from Jason's hand.

"Last chance," she offered.

"I can't," he repeated.

"Want me to drive you to your bike?"

"That's alright, I'll grab a cab."

"Going back to bed?" she smiled.

"Possibly," he smiled back. "Have a good flight," he nodded.

She frowned at the word, "Fly with me and you can fly straight back?"

"You'll be fine. Have a good model thingy," he nodded.

"Shoot," she smiled.

"Like I said, have a good one."

"Bye Jason," she smiled at him for a moment before turning to leave.

He watched her leave with regret. He couldn't run though.

He walked over to the main desk with Brenda's key in hand; he dropped it in the designated box. He walked back over to the elevator and pressed the button for up, pulled out his key to find out what floor he was supposed to go to, he still had a few hours left before the late checkout he'd been guaranteed the night before.

As the doors opened and others got off he turned back to the main desk and slid his card in alongside hers.

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

**_Present Day-_**

It was stupid to have regrets.

Stupid to wish he'd gotten in that car or followed behind in a taxi.

The little boy in his arms wouldn't be his, in fact he wouldn't even exist. If anything it would be another child, a different child, but most likely there would have been none. He'd never have done something so foolish as to risk anything that would lead to a permanent relationship with Brenda. They'd be gray by now if he had.

"Can't look back," he said to Eddie, still happily dozing in his arms. "You learn from your past, but you can never change it."

He remembered the moment of elation, so brief it caught him by surprise as Brenda told him she was pregnant and then she dashed it. The timing hadn't been right, off by three weeks.

_Three little weeks. _

Three weeks and there was no doubting the baby in his arms belonged to that of another man according to the doctor.

She had rattled on at that point about a DNA test afterwards at the same time she was telling him blood tests, and two sonograms, proved it pointless.

Yet when he had been born ten days early Jason had hoped for a mix up, an incompetent technician, but he knew otherwise.

He couldn't have imagined what that would have done to Sam…Or Sonny…Or Carly, he thought with a wry smile. Her head was going to explode when she found out Brenda was living with him again.

Life had worked out for the best of everyone.

Thinking about it though, maybe life had just worked out best for everyone, but him and Brenda.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"You know Jason," she said walking into the living room, "I really think if you just ask Tim to pick up one of those hand braces from the drugstore, I'll be fine. I don't really need to go to the hospital, I fell on it hard. I've done worse rollerblading."

He stood with a sigh, "We both know you're going to the hospital. We can do it the easy way in which you walk out of here under your own steam or the hard way in which I strap the kid into the stroller and toss you over my shoulder."

"Can you stop referring to my son as the kid, he has a name," she pointed out.

"It's a bad name, I'm working my way up to it, I'm sure in a few days I'll be able to say it without flinching."

"So call him Ward or something," she used the opposite end of her son's name for a nickname.

Jason just looked at her.

She closed her eyes in pain, "Justus," was all she said. Her eyes opened and she saw her son resting against Jason, "What did I bring him to?"

"His family and we'll keep him safe, I give you my word."

"You can't promise that," she said with heartbroken eyes.

"I will do everything in power to keep him…and you safe."

A heartbroken puff of almost laughter made her chest rise before she spoke again, "Suppose E.J. is too much like A.J."

Jason's eyes just remained fixed.

She tried again, "He'll probably end up confused if I'm calling him Eddie and you're calling him James," she offered up his middle name.

"Why did you name him James?"

She shrugged, "Rebel Without a Cause, was on one night when he was being particularly stubborn and not letting me sleep."

"I bet you he'd adjust just fine to Jimmy."

"Jimmy?" her lack of enthusiasm showed.

"What's wrong with Jimmy?"

"Jimmy Olsen, Jimmy Carter…"

"Superman's sidekick, former president of the United States…"

"Yea," she shook her head, "but they're just nice guys."

"You don't want him to be nice?"

"I want him to be more than nice," she clarified. "Jaime's cute for a kid and different. Not so commonplace."

"Yea because Edward is just so uncommon Brenda."

She scowled, "I named him for someone it's entirely different."

"Whatever Brenda, you still haven't distracted me about the hospital so pick your option."

She sighed and headed for the door, she went to pick up the diaper bag when Jason yelled at her to stop, "I've got it."

"Eddie, stroller, car seat in stroller and diaper bag?"

"I've managed your luggage before," he nodded as he carefully bent over grabbing the diaper bag and stuffing it under the stroller. With one hand he moved the stroller a bit forward, walked around it opened the door made a production of waving Brenda through before following with the stroller pausing once they were through again to close and lock the door.

She stood by the elevator waiting with a smile, no buttons pushed.

_What had he gotten himself into? _

-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-X-x-x-

"Oh Brenda are you okay?" was Bobbie's tender concern as she came rushing around the nurse's station to Brenda.

"Yea," Brenda gave a chuckled laugh. "I was in a rush trying to get to the airport and," she gave a quick look down at herself, "it didn't turn out too well."

Bobbie gave a soft chuckle, remembering how frantically things went when trying to travel with youngsters. "Am I going to hurt anything if I hug you?" she asked with a tender smile.

"Unless you're planning on head butting me or want more than a one armed hug back, you should be in the clear," she reassuringly smiled.

Bobbie tenderly hugged the younger girl, "It is so good to see you," she said pulling back. "Robin had an emergency with a patient, she should be back soon. Aww is this little Edward?" Bobbie asked moving over to the stroller Jason was behind.

"Can you please not call him that?" Jason asked.

Brenda laughed, "Jason has some concerns over the name."

"Lucifer might have been a better option Brenda," Jason pointed out.

Bobbie laughed, "So what am I supposed to call this little guy?" Bobbie asked bent over admiring the sleeping baby, she'd been shown a few pictures by Robin and even one by Edward.

"Ignore Jason, Eddie's good."

"He's just adorable Brenda," Bobbie said standing and turning with a smile.

"I noticed," she smiled.

"Not a bashful mother I see," Bobbie teased.

"Why should she start now?" Jason questioned.

"Have you ever seen a cuter baby?" she directly asked him.

_He hadn't. _

"Jason don't be dumb enough to answer that," Bobbie said knowing full well what her daughter's reaction would be if Jason said yes. She turned to Brenda, "So how long are you going to be in town for?"

He looked at her suddenly realizing this might just be a pit stop until she figured out what to do next with her life. He hadn't realized that as he was trying to figure out nursery's and what it would take to make the penthouse feel like his again on the drive over.

"Uh you know, I don't know actually. Guess it all depends on how long it takes for Jason to get sick of me."

"Why that hasn't stopped you before?"

"Ah," Bobbie nodded with a smile, "I see nothing's changed between you two."

Jason suddenly wondered if his words had been too harsh, if he was just pouring salt in the wound with them.

Brenda just let out a soft smile, "Why fix it if it ain't broke?"

"Why don't you two go have a seat, I'll page Robin to let her know you're here."

-x-x-X-x-x-

"You know that you're always welcome in the apartment right? I mean no matter what I say," he asked as they sat.

"I know," she nodded and settled back into her seat.

He threw an arm around him, "I'm glad you came to me."

"As you pointed out I was pretty limited in my options."

"You could have gone to your sister," he stated the obvious.

Brenda let out a short chuckle, "The moment she even knew about Eddie," she let out another laugh at Jason's flinch, "she had nurseries designed in her London and New York apartments and the house out in Aspen."

"See so-"

"I think she'd take him away from me Jase, I think she'd use this to prove me unfit. I know she thinks it. She kept trying to get me to leave Jared and move in with her."

"Ever consider that might have been because she cares about you? Rumor has it she was pretty upset by your death."

She shook her head against him, "That wore off pretty quick and she went back to thinking I was a screw up. Eddie's her last chance at family."

"I'd never let her or anyone take your son," he promised dropping his head down to rest on hers.

"I know," was all she said.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Sam like all women in love had tunnel vision, she saw him first and the world later.

She lit up walking out of the hallway towards the nurse's station when she saw him, lit up and forgot what had happened in the past few weeks.

For a moment she wondered if the dark hair was Robin, but they were a different color, different texture, same went for Liz and then it hit her.

Brenda.

She hadn't needed to Google the name, though eventually she did. She had a vague recollection from magazine ads while growing up and tabloids upon her return from her murky grave.

She'd wondered if Jax had been using her as a bandage from his loss of Brenda and he probably had.

She still wasn't sure about Sonny.

But Jason, Jason had been different. She'd known where she stood with Jason, not a stand in for a lost love. No Brenda's name was always accompanied with eye rolls or closed eyes and a head shake. Not like Robin's were it was either indifference or anger or Courtney's, which generally held a look of pain. _An older brother, who didn't particularly like his little sister, but took care of her nevertheless. _

"Sam, are you okay?" Liz asked walking over seeing her stricken face. She would have preferred avoiding the other woman, but working in a hospital where the other woman's mother was near death's door didn't give her that chance.

"Uh yea," she nodded with a rough voice.

"Are you sure?"

Sam didn't even bother looking at the woman who had just slept with her fiancé, scratch that, ex-fiancé. She nodded again, "Is that Brenda?"

Liz turned confused to the waiting area, her eyes narrowed and her mouth opened and came together once before answering, "Uh yea it is. I hadn't heard she was back in town."

"They seem close," Sam nodded.

"Well they were married," Liz let out a soft chuckle wishing she was anywhere, but where she was.

"I always got the impression he didn't really like her that much," Sam's voice was rough as she continued looking straight ahead.

"I think they just had issues with each other. Brenda was really good friends with Jason," Liz's eyes closed briefly, "Jason Quartermaine that is, or at least that's what I heard and he never really approved of her relationship with Jax." Liz chuckled, "Actually, I'm not sure he approved of anything Brenda did." Liz shrugged, "She's Robin's best friend."

Robin, Jason's first love. The woman who had saved his safe. _Then again a lot of women seemed to have saved his life. _

"Look I'm sure it's not what it looks like," Liz tried to console.

A hand was being reached out for Sam's shoulder when Sam flinched. Liz quickly pulled it back; she looked back at the scene instead. "Oh that must be Eddie," Liz smiled noticing a stroller tucked nearly out of view because of a chair.

The red stroller which had seconds before been invisible now glowed in Sam's eyes, "Eddie?"

"Brenda's little boy, he must be around two," Liz said trying to think back.

"I didn't know she had any kids," was all Sam could say.

"Oh yea," Liz nodded, "with a cute model they did a commercial for some perfume," she shook her head only remembering half bits.

"I uh," Sam shook her head, "I need to go Alexis wanted ice chips."

"Oh well I'll-" Liz's offer to go get them died on her lips as Sam took off.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"Oh god Brenda," Robin's voice came at them at a higher pitcher than normal.

Brenda broke free of Jason's arm and launched herself at her little sis not caring about the bruised cheek or the sore wrists.

"I'm sorry, there was an emergency, are you okay?" she asked pulling back.

"I'm fine, I'm home," Brenda said with a smile and tears glistening her eyes.

"I missed you being home," Robin cried and moved back into the hug.

_I will never understand them, _Jason thought to himself.

"I missed being home with you," Brenda cried back from the tight hug.

"I promise never to leave again if you do," Robin offered.

"I promise," Brenda swore.

_Well that settles that, _Jason thought to himself and realized he could go back to trying to figure out a living arrangement for Brenda and the baby, _Jaime, _he tried it out in his mind. _He could get used to Jaime. _

"Wow there is **a lot **of hugging and squealing going on over here," Patrick commented, keeping to himself the more inappropriate comments running through his head.

"Patrick this is-" Robin said pulling back.

"Brenda," he filled in before she could. He turned to Robin, "You have more pictures of her than you do of yourself."

"My fault," Brenda smiled, "I'm a camera hog, hazards of my occupation."

"Oh god I can't believe you're home," Robin said suddenly launching herself back into Brenda's arms, all else forgotten.

What could only be described as a squawk of displeasure came from the stroller and Jason instantly launched towards the stroller, lifting up the half awake little boy as Brenda turned free of Robin's embrace.

"Oooh," Brenda said with an apologetic face and an upraised hand to her son's cheek, "I'm sorry we were being loud?"

Robin just stood for a moment her mouth hanging open in shock before she reached out upon seeing the baby's lids start to close again under the gentle soothing rhythm of Jason's bounce. "Brenda, I really need to check you out," she said grabbing hold of her best friend's wrist and tugging her.

"Oww oww," Brenda said falling a few steps back with her, "wrist wrist."

Robin let go, "Walk quickly," she ordered under her breath so no one else would hear.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"What the hell was that?" Patrick asked Jason with a laugh.

"I have no idea," he answered honestly with a shake of his head, "they've always been like that."

"They were kind of cute doing that teenage squealing thing," he smiled looking at them quickly disappearing out of sight.

He turned back to see Jason just looking at him, after a moment he finally spoke. "So you're aware that's my former wife and my ex-girlfriend."

"So something we're not discussing?" Patrick asked with a shake of the chart he was holding and a brief smile.

"Not even the checking her out comment," Jason answered.

Patrick let out another short laugh and felt a wave of relief wash over him, he pointed the chart at Jason, "You've got all those people fooled don't you, you do have a sense of humor."

Jason gave him a slightly amused look.

Patrick's beeper went off and he gave it a quick look before nodding at Jason, "Cute kid," before leaving.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! **


	5. Looking for a White Light

People walking past the private room Robin had dragged Brenda into heard varying levels of volume, more teenage girl than doctor and mother.

Short bursts back and forth, but nothing anyone could interpret.

A few walked by with worried looks wondering if they should alert someone, but in the end just walked past.

It was an icy walk for x-rays as both sets of chocolate brown turned into charcoal, one staring at the other and the other set looking anywhere, but at the accusing eyes.

When they were alone again, the volume softened, no longer audible to the rest of the hospital and best friends finally started to talk.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"You hooligan," Edward came storming at him from behind as Jason was leaning forward with a smile admiring the sleeping toddler, "what have you done to Brenda?"

A foot kicked out as he jumped up, striking the wheel of the stroller, he'd pulled in close. Combined with the noise, Eddie awoke with a mumbling cry.

Jason glared over his shoulder as he bent over to soothe the baby.

"Leave him alone," Edward's hand struck him in the center of his chest as he held him back. "I'll take care of him."

"Ed-" he began, trying to control his temper as much as he wanted to throttle the old man, was as much as Brenda loved him.

"There there Eddie," Edward consoled picking up his namesake. "That crazy man won't bother you anymore," he turned to shield Eddie's eyes from that very man and so he could glower.

"Hello to you too Edward," was all he said.

"Father what happened you just took off?" Alan came rushing down the hall, Monica shortly behind him.

"I got a call," he nodded, "that Brenda was admitted to the hospital with this one at her side."

"What do you have spies in the hospital?" Jason found himself asking with a chuckle.

"Brenda's in the hospital, is she alright?" Monica's worried question came out.

"They said she looked like she'd been in a street fight and it actually does pay to have _friends, _unlike those mongrels-"

"Father, Brenda," Alan interjected. "Jason is she alright?"

His eyes stayed on Edward holding the baby as he spoke, "She's with Robin. She fell there's some bruising to her cheek and a sprained wrist, possibly a hairline fracture."

"And how did she fall Jason?" Edward accused.

"She says it was packing, she caught her foot on a bag and fell forward, but who knows maybe the five minutes she spent hanging out with me, she turned into a deviant and she's lying."

"I wouldn't be surprised by it," Edward muttered under his breath.

"Father I mean really!"

"Oh hush up Alan," his father scolded, "do you want to wake my namesake again?"

"That kid goes back to sleep faster than anyone," Jason said in awe.

"Eddie's used to my company, I rocked him to sleep at least several nights last month."

"Yes and oddly enough those nights that you were gone, I slept like a baby myself," Monica threw in.

"Isn't it late for him to be out?" Alan asked, knowing the time zone he was used to.

"Look who you're asking," another accusing look at Jason as Edward continued to rub Eddie's back.

"I'm sorry would you rather I let Brenda suffer or leave the kid home alone?"

"You could have called any of us to come watch him," Monica said walking over with a smile to place her hand on the baby's back.

"Or bring Brenda to the hospital," Alan pointed out.

"Brenda shouldn't even be with him," Edward criticized, "why is Brenda with you?"

"Brenda decided she had enough of London, she wanted to come home."

"And home is with you suddenly?!"

The baby stirred over Edward's harsh words.

"Give him to me Edward," Monica gently ordered with her hands on the baby's sides.

He muttered, but released the baby.

"Ooh," Monica murmured to the baby, "you are just the cutest little guy ever. We need to go show you off," she bounced as she turned to walk over to Bobbie.

"What have you brainwashed her? Or is it worse, are one of your little mob-cronies after her?" Edward's tirade began.

"Brenda decided to come home of her own free will Edward. I assume she came to me because she enjoys my company more than others," he smiled lightly at the end, enjoying torturing the old man.

"Has she been in with Robin for long?" Alan asked before Edward could get another word in.

"About a half hour."

"She shouldn't be much longer," he turned to Edward, "why don't you go take Eddie for a loop around the floor or I'm sure there are still a few board members lingering you can show him off to, to cool down. By the time you get back here Brenda will be out and I'm sure she'll answer all of your questions."

"He's not-" Jason began.

Alan raised a hand and silenced Jason's objections.

Edward smirked, "Why that's an excellent plan Alan, I think I'll also stop and call Alice, have her prepare the nursery. I'm sure Brenda will quickly come to her senses and return home."

"What the hell-" Jason snapped as Edward pushed away the stroller towards reclaiming his namesake.

"Father would never dash off with Brenda's son, he knows she'd never forgive him. Just in case though," Alan nodded, "I'll make a call down to security; make sure they know he's not to leave the hospital with a baby."

"If he-"

Another hand up, "He won't pull anything I promise, he loves Brenda like a daughter."

"Have you met Tracy?"

"Like a granddaughter," Alan amended.

-x-x-X-x-x-

His parents along with what seemed like entire nursing staff for the floor kept chattering on and on. Question upon question. Statement upon statement.

Some of it was useful, like reminding him that he had gone lapse in keeping up the baby proofing that had been done for when Morgan was younger.

The majority of it like nursery colors and preschool options were just succeeding in giving him a headache.

He was rubbing his temples as he heard a screech and knew that his headache wasn't going away anytime soon.

"YOU ALMOST DIED?!" came pounding at him.

He turned to face Brenda's fury and Robin chasing after her looking embarrassed and guilty.

He just looked at her, the most alive he'd seen her the entire day, she was finally looking like herself.

"I'm sorry Jase, I thought she knew," Robin said with a slip of the tongue, a familiarity she had long since used.

"Seems like the kind of information you'd share with someone you'd been married to," Brenda said continuing to be outraged as the crowd quickly dispersed leaving only them and his parents.

"She happen to mention to you the fact that it effected my memory?"

"You almost died," she repeated blowing past that.

"Yea and that white light's looking pretty tempting right about now."

Robin snickered.

Brenda turned, "You are not helping things."

"I'm sorry," Robin said with a wave of her hand just before she doubled over in a bit of laughter. Alan and Monica couldn't help but join in with a chuckle.

By the time Brenda turned back to Jason a smile was fighting to emerge on him as well. She frowned first at them, then she looked around, "Where's my son?"

"We sent Edward on a walk with him to keep him out of Jason's hair. Edward that is," Alan answered. "It's wonderful to have you home again my dear," Alan said moving in for a hug.

"Thanks," she replied with continuing unsure look.

"Yes it really is lovely to have you back Brenda. Emily will be thrilled."

"Yea I don't know about that," Brenda said moving to tuck back a loose strand of hair. "We haven't exactly been agreeing about things the last few times we talked."

"Yea well she and Sonny are over, it makes having a conversation with her a little easier," Jason threw in.

"Tell me about," Alan muttered.

"Wow everyone in the family on the same page and I missed it."

"And Carly," Robin threw in. "I heard her make that clearly evident on several occasions."

"Yea," Brenda said with a shake of her head turning back to Jason, "none of this makes up for the fact that you almost died and no one told me."

"Well that's it," Carly's loud voice announced, "my day has officially been shot to hell."

"Brenda," was all Jax said in a stunned, low voice.

"Join the club," Brenda remarked with a smile. The past twenty four hours had been a bleary dark hole, with only occasional glimmers of light.

"Well you look like hell," Carly declared walking up to them.

"Yea luckily I'm in good company," she made a face, "actually maybe good isn't the word to use."

"Hey Carly Brenda's had a long day can you just let this go until tomorrow," Robin asked.

"Long fall off that pedestal everyone always puts you on isn't it," Carly asked with a cocked head.

"Oh yea that reminds me congratulations on your engagement to my former fiancé. Shame though, I really thought your marriage to Sonny was a match made in heaven," she rubbed salt in the wound.

Carly bit her lip on that one literally as she sucked in the horrible taste of having Brenda's leftovers. Engaged to the man she would have married if she hadn't been busy kissing Carly's husband at the time.

"Brenda," Jason's voice went firm, ordering her to stop.

Carly's name wasn't spoken though, "Yea well at least they married me and Jax and I **will** be getting married."

"Oh yea," Brenda nodded, "AJ to get custody of his son. I personally never fell for any of AJ's moves and wow he had a lot. Then again I never even fell for Jason's-"

"Brenda," Jason repeated.

"What?" she asked. "Not like I was talking about you." She turned back to Carly, "You know what I wish I had just gotten involved with Jason, kept him out of the car and kept you out of our lives. Imagine how much happier we'd all be."

"Brenda," Robin snapped getting her friend's attention.

"Ah there you are my dear," was Edward's friendly greeting.

"Hey," she turned and instantly brightened, "was he good?"

"An absolute angel like his mother," Edward beamed.

"Please don't tell me she's his mother," Carly asked wondering if she was going to wake up in some weird Twilight Zone episode.

"Brenda," was all Jax could seem to say today.

"Oh calm down Jax, that's one worry you don't need to have. Thankfully we're a year off on that timeline," Brenda caught him intently looking at her son.

"I would never think that you would-" _keep his child from. _

"Oh no," she nodded at him, "trust me I would have." She turned to Carly, "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

Carly turned to Jason, "Hey I have an appointment tomorrow and Leticia has the day off, do you mind if I drop Michael and Morgan off in the morning."

"What about Sonny?"

"Business," was all she said.

"Uh," he rubbed a hand over his face, "can you ask your mother or something? "It'll be their first full day, he doesn't have a crib or anything set up yet, we're going to have to go to the store-"

It took Carly a moment to clearly understand what he was saying, "Are you saying that **she's **living with you?"

"They're both," he corrected with wide eyes and a beginning to get impatient look, "living with me."

"For how long?" her hands went to her hips.

"As long as they want."

"Why are they living with you? Why not Dr. Goody Two Shoes or with the Quartermaines."

"An excellent question," Edward interjected.

"Last time I checked we were both adults, if we were old enough to marry each other, we're old enough to live together again without having to answer twenty questions," Brenda answered for Jason.

"What about Sam?" Carly exclaimed to Jason, ignoring Brenda.

"What about me?" Sam's small voice came up behind them.

"Oh uh, Sam," Carly began to waver seeing the younger girl in poorly concealed pain.

"Hi everyone," she nodded. "My mother was wondering what was keeping you guys I offered to come out and check."

"Oh I'm sorry," Jax finally spoke clearly, "we got held up trying to leave Metro."

"She's getting tired."

"Oh," Jax said placing a hand on Carly's shoulder to move past her, "I'll go in." He paused briefly as he moved to past Brenda, "No matter what, it's good to have you home Brenda," he nodded leaving Carly scowling behind him.

"Hi, I'm Sam," Sam said extending a hand to Brenda.

Brenda took it with her one halfway decent hand, "Brenda, nice to meet you."

"You too," Sam calmly replied. She wistfully turned to the sleeping toddler, "Beautiful little boy."

"Thank you," Brenda replied with a soft smile.

"How's your mother doing Sam?" Monica asked.

"Uh," she smiled and nodded, "she's being Alexis."

Brenda made a confused face.

Robin realized she'd missed filling her friend in on this particular piece of gossip, "Alexis and Sam found out they were mother and daughter earlier in the year."

"Oh," was all Brenda said to that.

"Yea," Sam nodded and smiled again, "I should get back in there."

Brenda bit her tongue, wanting to know what was wrong with the other woman, but knew it would be crude. "Tell Alexis I said hello," she offered instead.

Sam nodded.

"Yes," Edward gruffly acknowledged, "please let her know that she has all of our best wishes."

"I will," she nodded again. "I'll see you all later."

"Wait Sam," Carly said bustling forward, "I'll walk with you." "This isn't over," Carly then whispered in Jason's ear.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Murmured chuckles of unease passed the through group before a proper greeting between Edward and Brenda and a statement from her making it clear that she wouldn't be returning to the house with him.

"So how is she Robin?" Edward asked upon commenting on what a frightening shade her cheek was turning.

"No serious damage to her cheek and the swelling and the bruise should go down on their own in a few days. Her wrist has a hairline fracture, but I'm going to leave it in the temporary cast instead of a plaster one otherwise I know I'll be listening to Brenda complain until she gets it off. It's not that serious though, it probably would have healed up decently on its own without anything, but I don't want that cast coming off for anything but showers until I give you the say so and seriously Brenda don't try to do anything stupid. No heavy lifting."

Jason gave her a look.

"I've got to be able to pick up my son," she defended.

"Just try to keep the weight off the arm," Robin amended, "you'll only make it worse which could mean a plaster cast."

"What about her other wrist?" Jason asked.

"Both-" Edward exclaimed.

"Landed on this one," she held up the blue and metal covered wrist. "So I used this one instead," she held up her right bare one.

"Yea nice move instead of going to the hospital or asking for help."

"I was traveling," she defended.

"I would have come and met you," Jason pointed out.

"Or I could have come on the jet with Alice," Edward added.

Brenda sighed and rubbed her head.

"That's a sling for her," Robin said handing off a blue sling to Jason, "if her arm starts hurting, make her put it on. I assume you have Tylenol or Advil in the house?"

Jason nodded.

"You don't want anything stronger do you?" Robin, half asked, already knowing the answer.

Brenda gave her a look.

"That's what I thought. I do want you to take these though," she said going to hand off a small packet to her best friend. "You're exhausted you need sleep and I somehow doubt you'll get it on your own."

"Yea I'm not taking those."

"Brenda they're not much stronger than Nyquil and I know for a fact you take that since you drooled on my pillow the last time I saw you."

"Brenda just take them," Jason ordered.

"He's going to be up in a couple of hours, I can't just pass out for the next 10 hours."

"Brenda, I am perfectly capable of handling him on my own."

"If you aren't-" Edward began to interrupt.

Everyone shot him a look and he decided to remain quiet, plenty of time to convince her otherwise after her first day home.

"He doesn't even know you," she argued.

"Brenda, he was always very good with Michael," Monica softly commented.

"And Eddie seemed to quiet down straight away before when Jason picked him up," Alan added.

"Not to mention the boy hasn't exactly refined his taste yet," Edward said making a wry face, "the boy seemed to like everyone he met when I was visiting."

"Hey worse comes to worse, I'm just a phone call away," Robin smiled.

"You have work," Brenda tried.

"Luckily she knows the Chief of Staff," Alan reassured.

"Okay fine," she conceded, "I'll take them." She took the packet.

"Now," Jason ordered.

"What?"

"Take them now. You're saying yes now, but we both know you'll get home it'll be an entirely new fight."

"No it won't," her eyes went innocent.

"Yes it will," he repeated.

"Brenda just take them now," Robin tried to mediate.

"I can't take them now, if I fall asleep in the car how are we all going to get upstairs?"

"I'll call and make sure someone is there to meet us or you know worse comes to worse Chris can park the car and carry…the baby up himself."

Brenda looked a little wary of that, there was a safety measure she was sure of behind having them dropped off versus parking. At least part of it she knew was simply leaving the car unattended.

" Alice could easily carry her inside," Edward lightly mumbled to himself.

"Or over the shoulder Brenda, we had this discussion already. So I'm going to get you water and you're taking those pills."

"Everything can wait until tomorrow," Robin informed her friend as Jason went to grab a glass of water.

"What can wait until tomorrow?" Jason asked quickly returning with the water, the nurse had been happy to provide.

Robin looked at Brenda.

"Us fighting," Brenda supplied.

"Or you know we could start a new trend and skip it entirely."

A sad smile from Brenda, "Highly unlikely," she said right before popping the pills in and grabbing the glass of water.

* * *

**Yup I can't comment on any of the reviews until the next chapter. Thanks for reading though and reviewing (I hate how cheesy it is that reviews really are the fuel behind posting, I so always roll my eyes when I see that, but it's true. You guys rock!). **

**Oh and yes this story may go past my two week deadline for it because it demanded that I double the chapters for it (once more though that's the reviewers fault). I'm thinking 2-3 chapters after this. **

**Oh and Brenda's convo with Robin will come up in later flashbacks for those who were looking forward to it. **

** Done rambling now…Thanks again!**


	6. The Untolds

Do not fear I did not forget about this story. A lovely mixture of the holidays paired with real life created a complete inability to write. I'm really sorry about the delay guys and I want to say thanks sooooo much for the great reviews.

I'm glad you guys liked the Q's scene, I love them, I wish the writers would come to their senses and realize the Q's **are **GH before they do anything stupider than they've already done.

Short chapter and one that really shouldn't be here, but I decided I like the outsiders look at what's going on.

I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**The Untolds **

Alexis' Hospital Room: 

"Ugh," was Carly's greeting to the room following in right behind Sam.

"Did I miss something?" Alexis asked in a weak voice as she wondered if her daughter's sullen face and Jax's exceptionally chipper one, which she was positive was a very poor front he was putting on, were a part of this.

"What the hell is she up to?" Carly stormed without elaborating.

Alexis's mouth opened, trying to figure out what to say.

"She knew," she turned to Sam, "she must have heard that you and Jason broke up and….Ugh…Emily," Carly's hands railed.

"Am I supposed to have any idea what's going on?" Alexis turned and asked Jax.

"Brenda's back," he said calmly, "and apparently she's living with Jason."

"She's back with a child," Carly elaborated as she threw her hands in the air, "she knows how Jason feels about kids. He'd never turn her out."

"Yes," Jax nodded, "I've got to admit that was a surprise." _A surprise or a sucker punch, same thing. _

"Ah," Alexis nodded.

"Ah?" Carly spun around to face Alexis, her hair whipping around at the breakneck speed. "You knew?"

"Ned, may have mentioned something about it," she tried to play it off and pretended to look at the magazine in front of her.

"Who's his father?" Sam asked in a small voice.

Alexis put down the magazine, "He did that commercial with her, the perfume." _People talked about Brenda, _she doubted though any of them would admit it, they all always seemed to know what she'd done.

"Oh," Sam nodded and took a seat on the edge of her mother's bed.

"Yea well who would want a measly old commercial actor when Jason's back on the market, hell I'm amazed she ever took her hooks out of him."

Jax coughed.

Carly turned and looked apologetic, "Not that you aren't a better catch, well not better, different, you both have your…" she waved a hand, "never mind, we're not even going to bother going through all that, there are more important things at hand, like how to keep her from getting her hooks into him a second time around."

They all continued to watch as Carly went off on her tirade.

"You know I bet Emily keeps in touch with Juan, it shouldn't be that hard to get that Miguel guy's phone number, I mean he's not at the top of his game anymore, but I bet he's still got plenty of money stashed to the side."

"How do you know about Miguel?" Jax asked with a tilted head and a baffled expression.

"I know everything," she waved a hand.

Alexis chuckled as she spoke under her breath, "Except about Eddie."

Carly turned with fury in his eyes, "You know his name!"

"I told you Ned told me," she amended, "considering I was once ready to marry him, he was Kristina's father for a year and his name is Edward as well, it's the kind of thing you remember. That and the fact that it apparently turned Edward into a blubbering mess when she told him," Alexis smirked, though honestly the thought warmed her heart, you had to love the old coot, even after all the stunts he pulled.

"Hey Alexis I," Bobbie's words froze in her throat as she opened the door to a full room, the magazine in her hand forgotten.

Everyone's gaze swung to her and the tone of the room was palpable.

"She saw Jason didn't she?" Bobbie asked Alexis.

"I swear Mother if you knew-" Carly's voice raised several notches as she had a new target for her frustrations.

-x-x-X-x-x-

The Limo- 

The family hadn't let Brenda go without a fight and he could see the effects of it now as she struggled to remain conscious in the limo. _He hated taking these things. _He thought all while finding himself rather relieved to be able to move next to her as she started to slump. Feel the moment of hesitation as she fought letting her body fall into his and then feeling it relax.

"Jason," came out her lips as her head fell against his chest.

"Didn't Robin say no talking?"

"She said no fighting," Brenda corrected.

"Same thing," he smiled.

Her lips twitched up and then they fell, "What did I do Jase?"

"The right thing," he promised.

Her head shook against him and tears started to fall.

He pulled her in close to him, "Shh," he murmured, "it's going to be alright Bren."

Her head shook more as tears started to soak through his shirt. He offered a few murmured assurances as she continued to mumble incoherently through her tears until she cried herself to sleep.

_Time_, he promised himself, _it would all be okay in time…After all wasn't it always? _

-x-x-X-x-x-

Harbor View Towers

Milo nervously bounced from one foot to the other in front of Harbor lights and smoothed down the creaseless jeans wishing his brother had given him more time instead of a quick phone call going, 'Where are you?'

He couldn't believe he was meeting Mr. Morgan…_No no Jason,_ he remembered being ordered…for the second time dressed in a pair of jeans. He knew the importance Mr. Corinthos placed on appearance, he had to hope Max wasn't screwing him over telling him that wasn't how Mr…dammit…Jason was.

He hopped forward as the limo pulled up and hoped it wasn't another false alarm, though he had gotten a five dollar tip out of opening those doors.

He knew from Max's warnings that Jason tended to be out of the door before you even got to it so he was surprised to open it and not only not find Jason ready to pounce, but find him not even looking at the door, his gaze turned out a second later and it was dazed.

"Mr. Morgan?" Milo hesitantly asked.

"Glad to see you were able to get here so quickly Milo," Jason nodded.

"I was in the neighborhood sir," he lied.

Jason just nodded.

"Shall I take the baby or Ms. Barrett in sir?"

"The baby," he quickly responded. "Can you handle him and the stroller?" he asked

"Uh yes sir," Milo quickly responded with a vigorous nod.

"Stop calling me sir," Jason dryly responded and started to move, tugging Brenda over a little with him.

"Do you need some help s…I um mean Jason?" Milo stuttered cursing himself.

"I've got her," he casually replied, not paying attention to the other man's discomfort, there were more pressing things on his mind.

_Oh wow, _he thought as Jason lifted her from the car. Her arm immediately went around his neck for support and she cuddle in close, _now I understand Mr. Corinthos' dilemma. _Max had ranted once about that, about how he hadn't been able to understand how Mr. C had been able to risk his life with Carly for a kiss with her. He realized now that was just Max's blind love for his employer's former wife.

"Jase," she murmured as she nuzzled close.

"Yea don't worry Bren, I've got you," he reassured and stepped back.

_Holy shit, holy shit. It had been a real marriage, Max lied. Holy shit, holy shit. Jason slept with Sonny's former fiancée. _

" Milo?"

He looked up and stunned at Jason's face.

Jason looked back at the open door.

Milo heard a snicker and realized whoever the guy was that had been driving them and had taken the stroller out for him was finding his incompetence amusing, _dammit Max was never going to let him live it down. _

"I uh…Sorry sir," he said diving forward, "I mean Jason," he popped his head back out of the limo.

-x-x-X-x-x-

_Oh man, nice place, _ Milo thought as he walked into the penthouse. Really simple, much more his taste than Mr. Corinthos' place which reminded him of a dungeon, he wondered what Mr. Corinthos had against light.

"Just leave that stuff by the door," Jason ordered and kept walking towards the stairs with Brenda in his arms.

"Uh yes sir," he said leaving the stroller and bag behind, thanking god once more as the kid remained fast asleep against his shoulder as he followed after Jason up the stairs.

Perplexed was the only way to describe the look upon his face entering the bedroom, _was this room really attached to the rest of the apartment? _

Jason chuckled as he walked around the bed to put Brenda down and caught the younger man's face. "She needed to _girliefy_" he explained.

_She? Brenda? Brenda had needed to girlie-fy? _Brenda's room, he was in Brenda's room, his mind pounded with the influx of information. Jason had been married and Sam had lived here for 2 years? Yet Brenda had her own room and it looked like the only womanly presence in the entire apartment. _Max either lied or was completely clueless. _

"Just put him on the bed for now," Jason said seeing the other man unmoving. "I'll be right back," he said going to leave the room.

Milo nodded as he bent over to gently place the young boy on the bed next to his mother and studied them, trying to compare features to Jason's to no avail. Had to be a girl thing or something because the only true similarity he saw was the hair.

Not to say that the kid couldn't be Jason's like his body language suggested, but the kid was just a kid with kid features, the lighter skin helped the father/son argument, but he was a kid, kid's were sun-blocked all the time.

"Do you mind going downstairs and waiting for Tim?" Jason asked walking back into the room startling Milo.

"Uh," he said recovering from his jump, "no not at all," he noted with a confused glance to the boxers and tee shirt in Jason's hands.

"Good I sent him to pick up some things and I'm sure he'll need help. I just talked to him a few minutes ago, he should be here soon," he said all while pulling off Brenda's sneakers.

_Oh man, _ Milo thought with widening eyes, _he's going to strip her. _

Jason stopped and just looked at the other man.

"Oh I uh…You mean now?" he nodded, "Yea I'll go downstairs, lobby or?"

"Go to the lobby, tell them I'm expecting a delivery and get a handcart, they'll take you to the side of the building," he stood and extracted his wallet pulling out a twenty, "tip them, but tell them you don't need any help." He handed off the money.

"Yes sir," he nodded vigorously and nearly ran out of the room.

Jason returned to his task chuckling.

* * *

**AN: **Can I just share with you that I had to wade through about 40 old and half finished stories to **finally** find the words "Harbor View Towers" used to be on the abc website, it of course isn't. _Heaven forbid ABC ever do anything to make me happy. _

Found Harbor View Drive within a minute of my search, Harbor View Towers…Totally hidden and was in the last folder I looked. And may I just say, 'Wow I loved Sonny and Brenda and Jason and Carly a lot once upon a time…Oh how things have changed.'

**Thanks for reading!!! **


	7. The Chaos of Questions

**AN: **This chapter blows, sucks and any other euphemism that conveys being 'not good,' in more harsh tones. I'm sorry, with as long as I had it I should have been able to make it good. I unfortunately could not. :-(

**Next one: ** I'm glad everyone enjoyed Milo and Carly last chapter, they are the perfect characters for comedic relief. He's nowhere near as interesting in this chapter, but oh well… (quick statement from me, I really love the brief Milo, Dillon, Lulu moments, oh and yea I guess 'The Jackal' isn't too bad in limited doses (and when he's not around Sam). Tracy was great the other day dealing with them. Tracy, Luke, Dillon and Lulu really make a great family.

**Final: **Who loves Jason with emotion? I yelled at the tv when I realized I'd missed part of Jason's talk with/to Alan.

**Thanks for reading!!!!!!!! (once more sorry about the suckiness)**

* * *

**Brenda's Room: **

She was quickly tucked into bed by gentle hands. She hadn't minded the chuckle that had coursed through Jason as he heard Milo's quick exit.

Sneakers off, bra unclasped, jeans slipped off and the blankets pulled up around her and Eddie.

Boxers and a tee-shirt resting nearby on a dresser for her to throw on when she awoke.

He was tempted to just crawl into bed with them, suddenly exhausted himself despite the early hour.

He had things he had to do though, the foremost being letting Milo and Tim back into the apartment and storing the purchases.

Sonny needed to know.

And Sam…

He hadn't meant to hurt her, not with Elizabeth and certainly not with Brenda, but…

_Ric… _

The name passed through his mind like a curse.

Still though. He had to explain. Let her know she wasn't being replaced with someone with a child, a ready made family.

_It wasn't like that with him and Brenda. _

But not for the first time, especially since that night he realized just how easily it could be.

Stressful, aggravating, yet…

He turned on his heel from watching her sleep.

Absolutely beautiful.

She'd already curled up and a hand had found the baby's side as they both faced each other in sleep.

The tension of the long day had left her face nearly unmarred aside from the bruising.

The cell phone remained in his pocket. There would be time enough for everything later he decided as he gingerly lowered his body onto the bed next to Eddie.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Milo tried to regain his composure waiting with the handcart, but try as he might he had a feeling it would be a few weeks for his mind to stop pounding. His cell phone itched in his pocket begging him to rub it in his brother's face just how wrong he was, but the logical part of Milo's mind knew that despite the urge, he should refrain. Of course once it came out, then he could laugh as much as he wanted. _Discretion though…_He knew that was the name of the game and he wanted to play that game. Of course proving that he knew it long before his brother did was another challenge he had yet to figure out, maybe a message on his cell? It would have a time stamp and there'd be no disputing who knew what first.

"Hey," came the greeting from the guy climbing out of the SUV, "you're Max's little brother right?"

"Yea," he nodded and tried to look tough, "and you're…" he let his voice trail off, he knew who he was _supposed _to be meeting, how to make sure it _was_ that guy was another story.

"Tim," he nodded with an outstretched hand.

" Milo," he returned.

"Mrs. Morgan turn out alright at the hospital?"

"I think they gave her something to sleep because she was pretty out of it."

"Ah that's good,' he nodded and moved to open the trunk, _he blessed the guy who invented the fold down seat. _"She looked like she could use to sleep for a week."

Milo just nodded before frantically moving to go help as the other man started to lift a large flat box out by himself. "Uh," he said as he exhaled on a puff after releasing the box onto the cart, "so we call her Mrs. Morgan?"

"Uh no, good catch kid, she didn't say much, but she did say her name was Barrett to me," he went to go grab the lighter boxes that had been hidden underneath the crib. There hadn't been time to properly pack away his purchases in the rush.

"So they're not married anymore right?" Milo casually probed.

He shook his head, "Annulled right before Carly's new fiancée, that Jasper Jacks fellow called off their wedding in front of half the town. She got caught kissing Mr. Corinthos."

"Aren't Jason and Mr. Corinthos best friends?" Milo asked as he continued to play disinterested, loading yet another of the many safety gates Tim had gotten onto the cart.

"Their marriage…" Tim looked a little confused before shaking it off, "Ms. Barrett and Jason…Let's just say it wasn't a love match."

"You sure?" Milo found the words coming out of his mouth before his brain could stop them.

Tim stopped what he was doing and studied the younger man.

Milo started to crack, "It's just that I mean…she's here and with the kid…"

"Loyalty," Tim nodded and gave the answer he'd come up with, "if you stick around you'll find that Jason is the most loyal guy you'll ever meet," he focused hard on the other man, "and he expects it from others."

"So Brenda's loyal?"

Tim froze once more for that, he'd been around for awhile, on the outskirts working his way up the food chain just as Milo was doing now, he nodded, "Yea she's loyal. A bit misguided at times like Mrs. Corinthos…" he nodded again and moved to start loading the bags on top of the boxes.

"Are you sure?" Milo abruptly asked a few moments later.

"Yea," he nodded quickly, then smiled pausing in his task, "man if even half of the stories I've heard about her are true…Loyal to a fault, makes more trouble trying to-"

"No," Milo quickly stopped, then scolded himself for having missed out on the rest of what the man was going to say, "I mean you sure it's only loyalty than brings her back here."

Tim dropped the bags on top and took a step back as he studied the other man, "What do you know that I don't?"

"Nothing, I mean-" he stammered, "it's just that she has her own room."

"Yea," Tim nodded, "both of the penthouses have plenty of rooms."

"No I mean, she has her own room," he clarified.

The other man just stared at him.

"Pink. With flowers."

Tim frowned.

"As in a room that she decorated."

"In Mr. Morgan's apartment?" he asked with disbelieving eyes.

"That was my reaction too," Milo said with widening eyes, happy that he wasn't alone in his thoughts.

Tim shook his head, "You read it wrong kid, Brenda is Mr. C's. Jason would never."

And that was all he needed to say to shut the younger man up.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"Who are you calling?" Milo asked as Tim abruptly stopped in front of Jason's door.

"Jason to have him let us in," he didn't want to disturb anyone by ringing the bell or knocking.

"Door's not still open?"

"You left the door open?" Tim quickly turned and asked, hanging up before the call went through.

"I didn't lock it. Was I supposed to lock it? Mr…I mean Jason didn't say anything about locking it."

"You left Mr. Morgan's door unlocked in a building with shoddy if best security and no one on the door?"

"Uh, Mr…Jason's still inside," _the guy was lethal, everyone in town knew that. _

"With a wife and child," Tim firmly reminded, spelling out the basics for the younger man.

"He could have-"

The look Tim shot him promptly informed him to shut his mouth. There should be a major in college devoted to this, at least a class. One of those six-week intensive crash courses…

Maybe one of those For Dummies books, 'Bodyguard Detail for a Mob Enforcer and his Family.'

_Actually it wouldn't be a half-bad idea to google that. _

-x-x-X-x-x-

Jason stood by the stairs as he surveyed the sea of boxes and packages the other two men had left him.

They'd offered, repeatedly to help put it all away, but he had refused.

Despite his earlier need to have everything instantaneously.

He'd pled the men off with concerns over waking the apartments two sleeping occupants, had even thrown in a smile about 'why put it together when she's just going to say she doesn't like it and wants to return it,' which there was always a good possibility of despite the fact that Tim's wife had met him at the store and done the majority of the shopping.

It happened all of a sudden as they'd brought the purchases in.

The panic.

Sonny, Sam, Carly, The Quartermaines, even Jax.

There would be chaos and questions. Hassles day in and day out from outsiders. Pain in the eyes of people he loved, despite the fact that he tried so hard not to care.

And in the middle of it would be a little boy.

A little boy to grow attached to. To love as if he were his own.

Then he'd be gone.

She was hiding now, but that would change.

She'd grow stronger again, regain her confidence…

She and Eddie would be gone.

Across town or across the globe, he could never tell with her.

He didn't know if he could handle losing another child. Michael, Sam's daughter, Hope…Those rare few weeks he was going to be a father and hadn't known it until it was too late and he already wasn't.

"You don't get a say in this," he uncharacteristically ordered himself aloud.

She needed him.

And Eddie…

He closed his eyes briefly in pain, imagining the apartment once more empty, but for him.

He would survive somehow. He always did.

-x-x-X-x-x-

He leaned against the kitchen table he rarely used, tending to eat while on the move or at least standing up.

_'Will you sit down,' Brenda's voice ordered with annoyance. _

_'Why?' he asked as he took a bite of the dry waffle he was eating. _

_'Because normal people sit down when they eat,' she explained with further irritation that they were even having this conversation. _

_'Then why are you sitting down?' he retorted. _

_She let out an angry sigh, 'You know they taste a hell of a lot better if you put syrup on them.' _

_'It's fine as it is,' he replied moving onto his second. _

_She shook her head at his moronic behavior. _

_'You going to eat them or stare them to death because we've got to be in court in a half hour,' he said almost halfway through with his second, her first barely touched. _

_'We should have gone to Kelly's,' she lifted a bite up and watched the syrup drip off of it. _

_'We could have if you didn't take three hours to get ready.' _

_'I did not take three hours,' she exclaimed, quickly lifting her eyes to glare at him. _

_'Oh I'm sorry that was someone else who tried on everything in their closet.' _

_'Well some of us actually care what they look like to the people who are deciding if they should spend the rest of their lives in jail. Didn't anyone ever teach you about making a good impression?' _

_'Whatever Brenda,' he said tossing the used paper towel he'd eaten his breakfast off of into the trash, 'I need to check in with Sonny, hurry up and eat.' _

Kids needed food. Real food, not frozen meals, not takeout, not diner food.

_'Oh thank god food I'm starving,' she said breezing into the kitchen and heading straight towards the sandwich he was eating as he sat on the kitchen table watching the small tv in the fridge door, a beer at his side. _

_The sandwich was out of his hands before he could even react. _

_'Oh man this is sooo good,' she replied with a half full mouth. _

_'That is my dinner,' he snatched it back. _

_'Oh come on I'm starving,' she moved to the fridge and grabbed her own beer. 'Why is there no food in here?' she asked turning with just the beer. _

_'You're the wife,' he simply answered. _

_'You know this is the 21st century,' she turned with narrowing eyes. _

_'The 21st century, isn't that where the wife works? Provides **something** to the marriage aside from attitude.' _

_'Little hard to get a job when you're on trial for murder Jase and don't even get me started on the attitude,' she said making a face as she moved to sit next to him on the table, he moved over without being asked. _

_'Who's winning,' she nodded at the screen, while going to take his sandwich. _

_'Why it's not like you'll know anything about them,' he resisted her efforts for a moment before finally surrendering the sandwich. _

_'Oh hey is this PCU?' she asked with widening eyes and a smile. _

_'Yea, they're really starting to get good,' he swiped back the sandwich. _

_'Final four good?' she asked following a swallow. _

_He turned and gave her a look. 'Do you have any idea what that means?' _

_'Final. Four.' She rolled her eyes, 'I do speak English Jason.' _

_He turned back to the tv and shook his head as she took another swig of beer. _

_He took another bite before offering back the sandwich and they continued to watch the game. _

He had things to do, he remembered as he sat staring at blank tv screen. The number dialed on his phone before he could hesitate, "Hey Sonny…"

-x-x-X-x-x-

He was back in her room…his room…whosever room it was after a difficult conversation with Sonny.

His unexpected exhaustion remained despite the storm of questions in his mind.

He remembered what she felt like sleeping on him.

He smiled. Remembered how little sleep they got.

He shook his head. He couldn't go there. In another world…

One that wasn't Port Charles.

_Maybe he could have found peace if he stayed with her. _

Odd thing to wonder about with the person he fought the most with. It hadn't been like that in NY though. Maybe it hadn't been like that through most of the time they were married.

He couldn't remember that though.

_Maybe he could have been normal. _

He hated that word. Wondered why people always said it at the same time they claimed they wanted to be extraordinary.

It had been nice though to be anonymous, but not alone as he had been all those years ago when he set off on his own.

Part of a couple. Someone people weren't scared of or worse, curious.

_It wouldn't have worked. _He reminded himself as he once more shook his head.

He wondered briefly if he should return to his old room, the one he shared with Courtney and Sam.

He heard her words again, 'You afraid to be in bed with me? Afraid you can't keep your hands off me?'

It would be irresponsible of him, he decided, to sleep in another room and leave Eddie unsupervised after promising to watch him. He kicked off his shoes and socks and stripped off his jeans before slipping into bed with them. Eddie's eyes briefly opened and he turned gracing Jason with a smile and an outstretched hand. "Go back to sleep Bud," Jason whispered as his had went up to the little boy's seeking one. Eddie's eyes closed again, reassured as he clutched Jason's pointer.

-x-x-X-x-x-

He wasn't surprised as he saw the name coming off of the buzzing cell phone that he'd miraculously found by flinging his arm back as his other arm had the baby softly encompassed and Brenda's hand resting half upon it and half upon her son, unsure of when they'd all shifted in sleep.

"Yea," he whispered quietly into the phone.

"Come let me in, I'm downstairs," Sonny's voice ordered in matching hushed tones.

"What?" was Jason's blurred response.

"Apparently they're under strict orders not to allow anyone in and that includes me."

Jason let out a sigh, but knew he'd get up anyway. _Keeping Sonny from Brenda was an impossible task. _"I'll be down in a minute."

The phone flipped shut before he gently rolled away from Eddie. He pulled on his jeans as he watched the two sleeping faces framed with messy curls. He shifted the little boy over before he left, into his mother's protective grasp.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"I just need to see her Jason," Sonny said turning ever so briefly looking his friend in the eye before ascending on the stairs, having quickly made the move over to the stairs before being stopped by Jason chasing after him, calling his name.

He froze for that. He had heard it before. _He had heard it many times. _

Guilt rushed through him and it paused his pursuit of Sonny momentarily.

The memory of what would happen to Brenda and possibly her son and Carly's eradicated that hesitation. _They were their own worst enemies. _

He caught up to Sonny just as he reached the door, gently pushing it open. He just froze there, his expression pained and his eyes closed.

"I want him dead," he said without even opening his eyes, speaking of the man who had done this.

"I already promised her I wouldn't do anything to him."

Sonny turned with fury in his eyes, "He hit her," he firmly stated.

"And he's never going to do it again," was Jason's sure reply.

"That's what they always say," he harshly retaliated with.

Jason saw Eddie stir out of the corner of his eye and he grabbed Sonny's arm, "Downstairs before you wake them," he ordered as he pulled the door shut.

Sonny had already weakened by the time Jason got him downstairs, his eyes closed again and his head fell into his hands as he nearly collapsed on the sofa. "All I ever wanted to do was keep her safe."

"She'll be safe now," Jason replied.

Sonny nodded looking a little queasy, unable to focus on Jason. "She can move into the penthouse," he made plans aloud, not really to Jason.

"She's living here."

Sonny looked up and brushed it off with a smile and a twinkle of his eyes, "You'd kill each other in a week. No she can move into the penthouse for the time being. Her cottage is too exposed…I still have that prop-"

"Sonny," Jason's voice was firm and clear, commanding attention.

Sonny looked up.

"She's going to stay here."

"Jason," he smiled, "have you forgotten what living with Brenda is like?"

"I'll be fine. They need stability."

"God she has a son," Sonny said to himself, suddenly forgetting all else, but that. The knowledge of it had been one thing, actually seeing it though. _Their son should have looked like that, maybe a little darker. Stone. He would have been named Stone, though he would have had a home, he would have never had to doubt anything around him, not like his namesake. He would have kept him safe. _

Jason felt the guilt unexpectedly tear through him again. Sonny was sitting in the exact same spot that hours earlier, he'd wondered the exact same thing, _why isn't her son mine? _

He smiled, "I bet he's exactly like her, impetuous, always questioning…"

"Most children under the age of ten are."

Sonny looked up with a smile. It faltered after a moment, "She's going to be okay right?"

"It's Brenda," was all he needed to say.

Sonny remembered her kidnapped, washed up along a beach, bleeding in their shower, struck by a car, buried alive in a cave, addicted to pills, left at the altar, committed, a plane crash, driven into the ocean, held by a madman…_Why hadn't he just stayed away from her? _

_Why couldn't he now? _

He shook his head, "She's not your responsibility Jason. I appreciate you looking after her for the time being, but I'll-"

"She's not going anywhere," Jason asserted.

Sonny looked up.

"This is her home."

"Jase-" Sonny smiled and tried to downplay the tension.

"She wants to be here Sonny," Jason's voice softened the slightest fraction.

"Yea of course," Sonny nodded. "I just don't want you to be put in the middle of Carly and Brenda."

"They're going to have to learn how to coexist," was his response to that.

Sonny chuckled.

"They're both grown women with children."

"That's never stopped Carly before," Sonny smiled.

"Well it's going to now," _growing up in that kind of fighting, it couldn't be good… _

"You're living in a dream world Jason," Sonny smiled, but once more it faltered. _His own in fact. _

Jason didn't say anything catching his friend's sudden change in mood.

"I should go," Sonny said gruffly. He stood and nodded his head, "You take care of them."

"I will," he swore.

-x-x-X-x-x-

He was walking back up the stairs after a quick trip to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water when he heard a commotion outside of his door.

He quickly flung it open and there stood the man he had sworn not to hurt and wasn't too sure he'd be able to keep his promise.

* * *

**Ugh. Once more I'm sorry. Ugh my word choice, my repeated words, the dialogue and everything else, just UGH. **

**Fingers crossed for the next one, it's going to be weird to write Alan though after…. :-( **

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. The Complexity Behind Greetings

**Cass:** He's not Mary Sue'd he's Jason Q'ed. :-P Haha, seriously though, I try to do a more amplified version of Jason with more depth than he's written with on the show (though fortunately they were kind enough to show he is capable of it lately), he'd bore me to death otherwise. Not really Mary-Sue'd, once more if he were Mary Sue'd meaning my perfect character, he'd be Jason Q, doer of all things good and skilled in a vast collection of things.

**AN:** Yea I stand by my AN from last week. Thanks for lying to me guys.

PS- You guys left awesome reviews last chapter, I normally read them a gazillion times (and this time is no different), but I hadn't read them in the past few days and I'm seriously cracking up at 130am.

**Random GH related nonsense:** Oh and someone please tell me that Gina girl from GL isn't going to actually replace Brenda and that checkout soap magazine cover lied to me. I can't check out ABC's message boards after the horror they inflicted on me with Dixie and Alan's departures so soon after each other.

Short chapter (I've pretty much had it done for over a week, but as always I can't stand) I decided I liked this part just on its own, the next part should be longer.

**Thanks for reading!!! **

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* * *

**The Complexity of Greetings**

There was a moment of complete silence as everyone froze in their places. Two pairs of light eyes locked on each other before one erupted in fury.

"She's here, I know she is," Jared said launching himself towards the open door only to be stopped by the man who had relieved Tim a few hours earlier on duty per Jason's request.

"Where she is, is none of your business," Jason ordered himself to stay calm as he spoke.

"None of my business? None of my fucking business," the man railed, "I spent half of my afternoon on the phone with her friends, work, **the police.** Wondering if she was hurt, killed, abducted, I was going out of my mind for five hours before I realized Eddie's baby book was gone."

_Smart move, _Jason thought to himself, _not leaving a note, gave her time to get out of the country. _

"Then I had to drive from NY to here because it was too late to get a connecting flight, so I really don't have the patience for your 'none of my business' speech. That is my girlfriend," he continued to try to rage forward, "my son, **my **name is on his birth certificate. They are **completely** my business."

"That might have been true until you started taking whatever it is you're on now." _How could the guy just throw it all away? _He couldn't help but wonder.

"That's none of your fucking business," his eyes grew wide in anger. He tore back quickly, out of the guard's arms, "I can't believe she came to you," his head shook, "she promised…" The other man suddenly looked defeated, his long shaggy brown hair swooshed in anguish.

Jason inexplicably and suddenly felt for the man, everyone seemed to make stupid moves, lack of proper judgment wasn't his alone.

"He's my son," Jared said looking at Jason with firm eyes.

He could see the poorly concealed desperation behind the words and wondered if that was how he had looked so long ago when Michael was being ripped away from him. He hated seeing the grey, it had once been black and white to him, he couldn't do that anymore. He forced it though, despite the sympathy he felt for the other man, he would never risk Brenda or Eddie. "Not anymore," were the clear words that passed his lips.

The other man flew back into a rage, almost catching Mike, the bodyguard off guard.

"You-" the other man started another rant.

It was a small cry that turned Jason's attention away though. He turned in time to see Brenda's slight figure on the stairs, her hair wild from sleep, his boxers rolled up a few times and her mouth covered by one hand as her eyes were large.

"Brenda," her name slid off both of their lips unison.

That slight form started to crumple on the bottom step, but only one man was able to go to her. "Get him out of here," Jason ordered striding towards Brenda ignoring the flood of curses and pleas that came from the other man.

Her knees had been raised, her head buried into them, her arms holding them tightly to her as she attempted to hide as she sobbed.

He was hesitant to touch her, knowing that he should, but not sure how to as he watched her being swallowed by grief.

He listened to the sobs and fragments of thoughts that were emerging without much order. "I didn't know what to do. I thought I was doing the right thing. It should have been okay. It was all supposed to be okay. I tried….I tried and then Emily…"

_Emily? His sister? What did she have to do with any of this? _Then he realized she was shaking, the exhaustion paired with the sleeping pills…"Come on Brenda it's okay," his hand dropped on her shoulder, as he was about to send her back to bed on Robin's orders.

Bloodshot glossy eyes shot up, her shoulders jerking up to toss off his hand. "Okay?" she actually laughed, "I can give you a long list of words to describe this and none of them are okay," her body had lifted up and she swatted away the hand that came back out in sympathy.

"I didn't know what to do Jason," her voice nowhere near a yell, except for its firmness and the look in her eyes.

He was used to this, used to her misplaced anger, it wasn't the first time and he doubted it would be the last. His voice was sympathetic though on this occasion, it couldn't be anything but as he wanted to take her into his arms and lie to her, promise her everything would always be alright, "Bren."

"No," her body shook with a greater intensity as she waved her hand again, warding off his sympathy though he'd made no physical move.

He ached in a way he hadn't expected.

And then she crumpled again, though her tears had slowed. "I just…I didn't…"

He watched her confused, not understanding her train of thought. Effects of the pills? Not being able to sleep off their effects? An intoxication of sorts…

Her eyes looked back up at him, just peaking up, "I just didn't," she repeated the words again. "Jase, I…" her eyes closed in pain.

He wondered if he should call Robin, just because he couldn't calm her down didn't mean someone else couldn't.

They opened again, to show him the watery brown, "I thought I was doing the right thing," her voice empty and defeated.

It hit him in that moment, as her eyes locked with his as she once more repeated the same words as before that she wasn't talking about a few hours in the past, she was crying about something else entirely. He didn't ask for any further clarification, he just said the words in a steely voice, "He's mine," his throat near the size of a pinhole.

Her eyes closed again in pain, "I called you…and then…Emily…"

He swallowed hard and even blinked once. He had called her back, a couple days, maybe several after hers, she had hinted around about Sam, he hadn't been surprised by it; she always had the latest gossip. "She wasn't…" _they hadn't been. _

"I didn't know," she cried.

He found himself looking above her, focusing on the stairs just above her head, unable to talk…to breathe, to think. He was surprisingly vacant in those following moments.

Then he realized she was still crying, still shaking. _She was going to make herself sick… _

She looked back up just as his mouth finally opened, though he had no idea what he was going to say, "I…" she began before he could, but the words died on her lips and they were left staring at each other.

Another harsh tremor coursed through her shivering form and he automatically went to her, just as he had that night as they left the bar, sitting on the stairs trying to take her into his arms.

She pushed him away with clenched fists, "How the hell was I supposed to know?" she asked with desperate tears as he held her arms as she continued to try to pull back.

"Brenda," he ordered.

Her fists flared at him again, "You're always so busy trying to do the right thing."

His hands went to her wrists, worried she'd do more damage from pounding on his chest than he would holding them.

"I tried," her arms barely moved as she tried to hit him again, "I should know better by now."

He let her try to bang it out as tears continued to flow down her cheeks, not saying much, but soft soothing murmurs and pleads for her to stop. It didn't take long for her to crumple towards him with exhausted tears as his arms quickly shifted her into a tender, yet firm embrace and she cried herself to sleep.

He sat on the stairs simply holding her for minutes after he realized she was asleep. Sat as his heartbeat desperately tried to return to normal, his eyes wide in shock as it was allowed to once more fully sink it.

He followed a set of near automated actions as he lifted her up into his arms as he stood, ascended the stairs and then nudged open the door she'd left cracked as she'd gone to investigate the noises. It was then he froze.

Her son…his son…their son barely noticeable under the blanket, turned away from the door, just a few inches of dark waves noticeable from the door.

He swallowed hard before proceeding.

He averted his eyes from the slumbering tot as he deposited her in bed. He went to try to pull the covers out from under her as he realized blue eyes were looking up at him. Wide, alert.

And over Brenda's sleeping form, Jason found himself truly looking at his son for the first time, all he could say was, "Hi."

* * *

**This was one of those scenes that completely takes off on its own, I wanted it to do one thing, the characters disagreed with me. It's so unfair authors get no control over their own stories. :-( **

_Coming up in the next chapter: Fully lucid Brenda and Jason, Carly, and Monica and Alan. _

* * *

**In regards to a possible fic… (feel free to stop reading now or at any point during this) **

**Question: **Does anyone here like old AJ? I mean the tries to be good, tries to have a normal life, but something always sabotages it? More Sean's AJ than Billy's? (and all physical descriptions would be Sean's)

Because I had a story idea creeping in the corner of my mind for awhile regarding an AJ and Brenda one (I really loved Sean's AJ, I've actually written them together before, waaaaay before there was a Brazen).

It was an Alan alive fic however and I have this urge to do a post-Alan fic, so I might change that if people don't want to read an AJ&Brenda fic (or if you'd like to read the AJ&Brenda with Alan story in the future).

**Main point:** It would be a one shot deal (or just a few chapters) about AJ and Jason, a very soap opera return and dealing with Alan's death. With or without Brenda, your choice.

**Any interest? **If so just tack on any of these words: _AJ, new story, interest_, in a review. :-P


	9. Confrontations with the Past

Oh man, the Brenda and Jason scene totally did it again. That was not what I wanted to write!!! Definitely does not sound exactly like them, kinda off, but well…

Oh and I want everyone to be sure to know that wasn't 'Brenda' last chapter, that was sleep deprived, been woken in the middle of a drug induced sleep, her spirit momentarily broken, unable to be strong because of the pills, unable to fake it…That kind of Brenda, weak, broken, but still feisty as all hell. :-P

* * *

**Confrontations with the Past **

**_The Q Mansion... _**

He groaned softly as he awoke, annoyed with age and the indignity of having to wake up in the middle of the night to pee. Though as Monica frequently pointed out there was that one major plus of actually getting to grow old, which he had to admit he preferred to the alternative.

He froze sitting on the edge of the bed, suddenly awash with the pain over losing AJ so young, of losing both of his boys, his eyes closed in grief before a small smile emerged.

That little boy tucked into his stroller…

Their family now had a new hope, a new chance.

He sighed and stood, it wasn't until his return from the bathroom that he noticed the bed was empty.

He knew where she was though, after thirty plus years of marriage, he had to know the occasional thing.

-x-x-X-x-x-

She was sitting behind their youngest son's desk.

"I thought I might find you here," he said with a smile from the doorway.

She smiled and turned the picture around she was holding, a picture of Jason as a toddler.

He smiled as he walked over to it, "I thought father was insane with that rant of his after Eddie was born," he took the picture from her.

"He isn't is he?" she questioned. She hadn't believed Edward either, there had been some vague similarities she had seen the baby picture he produced, but she had chalked that up to wishful thinking.

"He is," Alan said leaning against the desk before offering her a teasing smile, "just not on this."

"A grandson," she smiled.

"Another grandson," he amended.

Her face fell and her gaze returned to the book she had taken the picture from, right above its empty slot lay a picture of two boys so close in age, people had often assumed they were twins. A shockingly candid shot, unlike most of the album, which he knew to contain professional pictures. They had missed their sons' childhoods fighting.

It was just two smiling faces, haphazardly splashed with bubbles as their boys took a bath, their tub littered with toys, Jason around Eddie's age and AJ just a year older.

"They were such perfect little boys," he said looking down at the photo with tears in his eyes.

"Given to us to protect and love and we failed them," Monica softly responded as she traced her fingertips over their innocent images.

"I don't know," he said trying to console his wife, "Jason seemed to put up with us rather well today."

"Just what I always hoped for," Monica gave a short chuckle, "a son, who puts up with us."

"I think that was always what Jason did best," he smiled.

"I know we should be grateful…I am grateful that we still have him and we have two beautiful grandsons now, I just…"

"I know," he nodded sympathetically.

"Edward already has such high hopes for him," Monica smiled moving away onto a happier subject, "I think he's actually planning on living long enough to watch him take over ELQ."

"Father's going to be in for a rough shock when he realizes Michael's going to," Alan dryly replied.

"He is, isn't it?" her blue eyes alit with joy and amusement.

"That boy's entirely too smart for his age," Alan feigned exasperation.

"God that would thrill AJ," her face started to crumple again at the mention of her oldest son's name.

His hand covered hers, "He's watching. He's proud of Michael. He loved that little boy, he just didn't…No one ever…" he couldn't find the words to talk about it, the pain was still too great.

"Promise me, we won't let Edward or Tracy or anyone…They are both special in their own right. I don't want them fighting with each other. Not like you and Tracy or Ned and AJ."

"Jason would never allow that,' he reassured his wife.

"Oh god," her eyes welled up, "they'll actually be cousins."

"Jason loves Michael like a son."

Monica nodded, "They'll be close." Her eyes closed. "They'll have each other."

"Michael's an excellent big brother, his love and concern is endless," Alan promised.

Monica smiled, "Brenda will invite us to birthday parties, we might actually get to spend the day with our grandsons."

"We have to try harder," Alan suddenly spoke.

Monica looked up in confusion.

"We can't let Carly or Sonny bully us out of Michael's life anymore. I know Brenda will let us be there for Eddie, but I…"

"You don't want to be closer to Jason's son than AJ's?"

"I can't do it to him again Monica," his eyes filled up.

"We'll talk to Carly," it was her turn to be reassuring, "money always works with her, the last thing she'd want is for us to grow closer to Eddie, especially when it comes to our wills," Monica gave a teasing smile, meant to lift his spirits, she'd most likely never mention the money and shares she and Alan possessed, she was hoping the other woman's jealously of Brenda would work to her advantage and she'd have to show off having the 'better' son. "It's the perfect weather for the zoo, it's just starting to cool down and I don't know about you, but I haven't been there in years."

He smiled.

"Maybe she'll even let us take Morgan along."

Alan looked at her with large eyes, "He is our grandson's brother."

"And I'm sure Eddie will think of him as a cousin," she tenderly smiled.

"Oh god," Alan's eyes suddenly rolled upwards, "I really hope Morgan doesn't end up with the company, father will come back from the dead for that."

"Yes," Monica teased, "but Lila would be positively delighted, she always did have a soft spot for that hooligan."

Photos were replaced and albums stowed away and the couple went to leave hand in hand as Alan thoughtfully questioned, "Michael is going to take over the company right?"

"Oh please, Ned's burned out, and Brooke Lynne and Dillion?" she scoffed.

"He could take them even know," Alan smiled.

"Oh I really hope Eddie wants to be a doctor," she replied looking slightly worried, imagining the two cousins fighting for control of their inheritance.

"There are other options," Alan laughed as they returned to their room.

She simply turned and gave him a look for that.

"Forgive me my dear, I'm obviously still sleep addled," he smiled just before he gave her a brief kiss.

"Obviously," she rolled her eyes as she smiled climbing into bed.

"At least wait until he's out of diapers before you give him a stethoscope," he laughed finally as he reached his side.

"Because you waited with either of our boys?" she asked giving him one final look which continued his chuckles making sleep a very far off thing.

-x-x-X-x-x-

_**Across town…**_

Jason Morgan could feel the panic rising up in his throat.

It was no less strong than those first few days with Michael. Left alone with a baby he had no idea how to care for. This should have been easier, Eddie could at least talk, or at least Jason was able to catch a few words in the midst of his babbling, which was clearly inherited from his mother.

Within a few minutes of waking the little boy had made his hunger apparent, but as Jason stood in front of the fridge with a squirming toddler in his arms, he realized he had no idea what Eddie liked, he had no idea of his son's likes or dislikes. No idea if he had any allergies, no concept of any of it. Food, toys, books, movies….Nothing.

So with his newfound son diving towards the freezer door, screaming the word pop, realizing he meant an ice pop, the one thing he didn't have, he tried to console him as he scrolled through his contact list, looking for the number Sam had put in so long ago.

"Hello," came the sleep laden voice through the phone.

"Robin," he was able to get out, despite the tightening of his throat.

"Jason?" she sat up, pushing her hair back as she squinted in confusion.

He skipped answering, "He's really hungry and I don't know if he's allergic to anything and Brenda's asleep."

She frowned further as Patrick, who had come alert with the name, 'Jason,' asked, "Huh?"

She raised her pointer to him, asking for a minute, "Uh," she frowned trying to think, "I don't think he is. She's never said anything to me."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

The panic in his voice alarmed her, he rarely panicked, she couldn't help but laugh, near silently, then it stopped as she realized Jason wouldn't be the type to panic about something like this, "Did you talk to Brenda, Jason?" she asked with a heavy heart.

He stopped his incessant moving trying to distract Eddie from the fridge as he said the words, "Did you know?"

_"What the hell was that?" Brenda asked as Robin slammed the door shut. _

_"Tell me that I've been on for one too many hours and my eyes are playing tricks on me," Robin ordered. _

_"I don't know what you're talking about," Brenda's eyes turned away. _

_"Oh god it's true," the anger and drive that had steamed Robin's outburst extinguished _

_Brenda's eyes turned back with remorse. _

_"How…When?" Robin's head just shook, "How could you do this to him?" she asked with pleading eyes. _

_"It just seemed like the best thing at the time," was all she could offer. _

_"The best thing," Robin instantly flared up again, "the best thing! You kept Jason's child from him." _

_"Kept… took," Brenda shrugged becoming defensive. _

_"Oh no, don't you dare try to…" _

"Since the hospital," she answered truthfully, no other way to answer. She gave a small chuckle, "Guessing people know better than to trust me with paternity secrets."

He almost laughed at that.

Patrick's eyes opened even further, definite confirmation of Eddie's paternity, which he'd asked Robin about earlier, but she'

"You can try calling Edward," Robin offered trying to steer their conversation back on track, she didn't know how much she should be telling him or even how much he wanted to hear from her.

"Edward?" was his quick reply.

"He just spent a week with them, if anyone was going to know if he was allergic to something, but honestly Jason, I can't imagine Brenda not telling you if he was allergic to something before she took the pills ." She laughed to herself, "Or bothering me for every journal article ever written on it."

"That would probably make sense," he suddenly felt a little foolish.

"Just to be on the safe side though, why don't you skip the peanut butter?"

"Considering its breakfast, I guess that isn't that hard to do."

She smiled sweetly into the phone as she heard him relax.

"I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's okay Jason," she answered truthfully.

Just then a loud, "Pop," startled her from the phone.

She laughed, remembering how Georgie used to pull open the freezer when she was being carried by. "You should go feed him," she smiled.

"Yea I will. Thanks."

"No problem. Oh and Jason," she added just before he was about to hang up, "if you're going to give him apple juice, you might want to water it down first."

He frowned over the advice, "Is that a medical opinion?"

She laughed, "Too many years babysitting. Night Jason, kiss my godson for me."

"Will do," he promised.

He sighed as he hung up the phone and looked at the little boy hanging dejectedly over his arm. "If we could not tell your mother, I just did that, I'd really appreciate it," he asked, knowing she was never going to let him live it down.

A mirror image of his blue eyes looked back up at him, completely ignoring the statement and said, "Food!"

"Okay," he nodded, "let's see what we have."

-x-x-X-x-x-

It was a few minutes shy of seven am as heavy brown eyes finally opened. They quickly shut again, not interested in being awake yet, then flew open as she remembered where she was and more importantly the fact that she hadn't been with her son in hours, only seconds later did she remember what had happened sitting on the stairs and Jason's shock, while looking at her.

She debated closing her eyes again as she groaned and slumped back into the pillows.

_Eddie. _

That one little word rang out in her head. Her son, her baby, her world. She would face anything for him and right now he was alone with a stranger and she was guessing he had been for hours.

With sleep heavy eyes that made her feel like she'd spent the better part of the night drinking she stood and then glared at her reflection in the mirror. If anything were to prove to her that, that horrible scene she barely remembered from the stairs wasn't a nightmare, it was her reflection.

_Jason had seen her worse. _She thought as she pulled her hair back into a haphazard knot with bushy curls unable to be tamed and ignored her sunken, yet puffy eyes. Then she frowned, _why would it matter what Jason thought? _

-x-x-X-x-x-

He sat with the squirming bundle of energy, trying to convince his son that they weren't going back into the kitchen to bowl anymore since one of Tim's purchases had been a plastic set of bowling pins that he'd moved his kitchen table clear across the room at just past four since it was the only easily accessible, proper flooring he had for it after starting to realize that at 3:40 trying to set it up in the living room.

Right now he was trying to talk his son into the laminated photo album Brenda had made for him.

It had been a pleasant surprise as he watched in awe of his son shoveling down cereal that his son knew him. Recognized him.

As he realized he was, 'Jay' from 'my book.'

Eddie had quickly lost interest in his cereal, despite Jason's pleadings after him and went running into the living room.

He quickly pulled the book out of Brenda's bag and shoved it at Jason.

They sat on the couch and tiny fingers and an eager mouth, quickly identified nearly everyone in the book, occasionally with help.

So they sat there now, open to a picture of Michael, Morgan and Kristina, Jason assumed Emily had sent her as Jason tried to prompt his interest in it, instead of more bowling.

He heard a gentle chuckle behind him as he was only given a one word response of "Mike," before an exasperated look graced the boy's face.

"Mommy," Eddie scampered away from Jason and the book and attempted to climb over the couch, his mother was faster than him and he was quickly scooped into her arms.

"Hey mister, you been good?" she smiled.

He nodded vigorously, "I been bowling."

"Bowling really?" she smiled and then looked at Jason, whose eyes were oddly alit, despite what she had done to him, "At 7am?"

"That was more like four," Jason quickly told her.

She just smiled, her normal, self-confident, know-it-all smile. "Warned you about that sleeping pill didn't I?"

He just gave her a look, the same look he had given her all of yesterday before...

"Mama," Eddie, quickly turned her attention back to him, "I wanna bowl."

"I'm sure you do, but we aren't going to right now," she smiled.

He pouted.

"Hey you have this back home," she said going to bend to grab a brightly colored toy, full of gears.

Jason was on his feet the first flash of a grimace as Eddie's weight further shifted into being held by Brenda's best hand as she bent.

He was bent over, ready to steady her as she tried to return to fully standing position with a jagged breath.

"Come on Jaime," Jason said quickly moving to shift the little boy into his arms, the little boy already adapting to his new 'nickname' after hours in use.

Jason was faster than him, and the toddler was looking back at his mother with a petulant pout, not wanting to be away from her even more than he had wanted to bowl.

She was meanwhile just looking at Jason, a similarly perturbed expression on her face, the toy forgotten in her hand.

"Jaime?"

"Jimmy was too nice, if I recall, he easily answered.

"His name is Eddie," she corrected.

"His name is Edward James."

The little boy, whose name was in question gave up on being ignored and made a dive towards the toy.

"I think he wants that," Jason calmly requested.

She frowned and handed it off.

"Down," was promptly demanded and Jason wondered how much of his mother's attitude was inherited from the time he spent with her or contained within his DNA.

The little boy quickly ran off the moment he was released and both parents smiled as they watched him run around the couch and throw the toy up before climbing up after it.

Then she turned back, "James is his middle name. He has a perfectly fine first name."

"Says you, I got no opinion in the matter, so I'm making the best of it."

"So much for me hoping that wasn't just a bad dream."

He didn't say anything. _She had never wanted him to know. _

Her eyes went down before lifting back up, tinged with sorrow and compassion. "I was going to…"

"Did you think I wouldn't want him because I was expecting a child with Sam?" He asked, trying to understand it from her point of view, even though it hadn't been true.

Her head shook as her eyes briefly closed, she had tried to imagine this so many times, the problem was they had all gone as horribly as this in her mind, it was why she had stayed quiet for so long. "No," she answered in a hushed whisper.

"Then why," he asked just as quietly back, his voice firm in the pain of knowing he had missed almost two years of his son's life.

"Knee jerk reaction," she nodded, "I do them pretty well," she gave a bittersweet smile. It had taken her awhile to even allow herself to entertain the possibility of being pregnant and then after its confirmation over a week to wrap her mind around the reality of it. She shrugged, "I'd gone out with Jared a few times before I realized and then after I talked to Emily," she shrugged again, "he came over, trying to figure out why I'd been blowing him off for a few weeks…" another smile, "and he was really great about it and he was offering his name and I thought he was crazy and then I was talking to you and it just slipped out and it kept slipping out and I really thought that I just needed some time to tell you. You needed time to adjust to Sam and your baby with her and it would be easier if you weren't having two kids with two moms, on different coasts and still in a new relationship." She looked deep into his eyes, "I **was** going to tell you," she promised.

"So why didn't you?"

Her head shook and she looked up at him with doe eyes, "I didn't know how to. All of a sudden Sam's baby was dead and you loved her and how could I do that to her? And were you just supposed to replace that baby with Eddie? That baby that you had loved and wanted more than anything? Would you always look at him and remember her?" Pain flashed in her eyes, "You've never been the second best child. They love you more than anything else in this world, that entire family loves you."

He tried his best to ignore that.

She chuckled slightly, "When Edward didn't realize I was around he told Eddie how much he was like his 'daddy,' best little boy in the whole world and he would grow up to be a great man because it was in his blood." With watery eyes she remembered the tender conversation between great grandfather and great grandson as her son was drifting off to sleep in Edward's arms.

"Did you think I wouldn't love him?" His head shook, "Treat him how they always treated AJ because he wasn't the child I was supposed to have with Sam."

Her head shook and her eyes closed for a moment, "No…I don't know," she answered. "I couldn't risk it. He's everything in the world to me. I would do anything to ever keep him from feeling like that. And Jared loved me, loved him, loved Eddie because of me, instead of in spite of me." She let out a chuckle.

_It wouldn't have been like that… _

"You didn't need a child then, you needed to grieve."

"Is that really what you told yourself Brenda? That I needed to mourn over a grave instead of being with my son?"

She just looked guiltily at that.

"Because let me tell you," he took a step closer to her, his voice becoming a fraction more dangerous, "I may not have needed him, but I wanted him. The moment you told me about him, I **wanted **him."

"I'm sorry," she truthfully apologized, she couldn't have imagined that from him. A baby yes, but her as the mother?

"Sorry Brenda?" he scoffed.

"No," she shook her head as her temper started to flare. "Don't you dare. You lied to me. I was trying to make things easier for you. I was trying to do what was best for everyone."

"How is this easier?"

"You were supposed to have a child with Sam. You were going to have a family, a life. I could give those same things to Eddie without him feeling like a hassle, shuttled back and forth; never really fitting in. I have fucked up everything else in this life. I wasn't going to screw him up."

"Yet, here we are, two and a half years later," he offered. He was angry, angrier than he could remember being in a long time and hurt. The rejection of him, her opinion of him. That she even thought he would have jumped from Sam's bed, his best friend's girlfriend, to hers and then back to Sam's…_She should have known him better. _

Her head shook and she let out a puff of air, suddenly aware of how close they were, nearly right on top of each other as they tried to keep their low voices from traveling to their son. "I screwed up. Is that what you wanted to hear?" She looked at him with loud and angry eyes, "I never forgot that, every single day. Every kick, every heartbeat, every ultrasound. His first cry, every laugh, his first step, that same that same look in his eyes mirroring when you find something funny, but you're trying to hide it, his smile…Everything about him is you, every expression that you'd never recognize. I do. Same as Robin did the moment she saw him, same as Edward and probably Alan and Monica."

He just stared at her, alive again, not like yesterday. Angry he could handle, but broken…That had scared him. He was angry, hurt, but not enough to want to see her like that.

"Everyday, every look, I had to see the best guy friend I ever had, probably the best man, I'd ever met and I knew how outraged and disappointed he'd be in me."

That froze him, Eddie wouldn't have his 'limits,' things that he saw in others, but generally didn't miss in himself would be in their son.

"I was trying to do the best thing for everyone….I figured if you didn't know…" she shrugged.

"Secrets always come out," in this town they always came out.

"This isn't one I really think I wanted to keep," she answered truthfully.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**

**(as always hope it didn't suck too bad)**

Oh and don't fear, there will be some nice normal Brazen bickering over the name issue and did I mention Carly in the next chapter:-P

**AN: **

So umm all this Sam/Jason/Liz/Lucky/Jake phooey that's been going on lately...Was making me think earlier today about how to bring Brenda back into Brazen. Before I was thinking AJ pulled a stunt like his and Courtney's 'divorce' with the Brazen annulment to ensure Jason and Courtney never got together, but then this missing baby storyline….

Obviously needs something to trump that. A daughter in a potentially fatal accident in need of her father? Because if Brenda were to ever be sperminated (as in by a turkey baster), meaning picking a father based solely on his gene pool….Can you imagine a better profile than, "6ft+, blonde hair, blue eyes, pre-med, athletic, no clinically diagnosed mental disorders in their family, two decently old grandparents, only medical condition was one heart condition that had been easily managed for 20+ years, addiction a slight problem and the biggest draw the only 'good' Q that was biologically a Q." And well you know Brenda can talk Jason into anything, hell he'd agree just to shut her up. :-P

Too many Brenda and Jason with kids stories if I do that one? Sound interesting at all?


	10. The Start of a New Day

Ugh. Had to turn off GH. Jason and Spinelli talking about a relationship with Elizabeth. Uck! I am so not feeling it this time around with them, they were cute when they were young and she was grieving and they couldn't/shouldn't make a move and Jason couldn't figure out Carly, but now…Uck (sorry to everyone out there who is happy about it). Especially when you see SB and LW have such an awesome onscreen rapport (once upon a time, I knew how that word was spelled, it just took me five minutes now however to find out :- ), to go from Jason and Carly to Liz and Jason….. Uck!

It's why we need BRAZEN!

* * *

**Jason's Penthouse-**

He blinked once at the list of things Brenda had written down that they needed. A full page. 'This should tide us over,' she'd declared.

He sighed and put the list, she'd made while eating breakfast, down. Grateful she was now in the shower after a long morning.

He joined Brenda for a bowl of cereal as Eddie snacked on some dry. He'd been supervised by Brenda and Eddie as he assembled the crib downstairs since there was more room and the unspoken fact that he hadn't wanted to leave his son, not so soon after finding him.

He had lugged it up the stairs with Brenda and Eddie following right behind him and proceeded to shift nearly all of her bedroom furniture around as she contently sat on the bed reading to their son, occasionally commenting and a few times snickering, which she had done her best to hide.

She'd sent him off for a shower after that as she'd gone downstairs and made Eddie his lunch.

She was on the phone, smiling at him as he walked down the stairs, Eddie off playing with his multitude of new toys.

He knew what that smile meant. _Robin. _

She was looking down at her list as Robin ticked off the things she'd bring over before saying good-bye and returning to her smiling at him as he attempted to distract himself with their son.

'Don't say a word,' he ordered, not even looking at her, but feeling her gaze upon his back.

'I didn't say anything,' her eyes fluttered up in innocence as he turned quickly to give her a look.

He turned back with a smile, which she followed with an announcement of, 'I'm gonna go try to make myself look human.'

That had been over a half hour ago and he was pretty sure she was half asleep in the tub by now.

"Yea well I don't care…" he heard Carly's high pitched voice filled with fury through the closed door.

He started heading towards it without much enthusiasm.

"Do you know who I-" the door opened during Carly's near assault of the man.

Two young faces looked eagerly up at him and slightly away from their embarrassing mother, "Jason," Michael smiled as always taking over the speaking for him and his brother.

"Ugh," Carly let out a fuming sigh. "You need to do something about him," she nodded at the guard. "And why do you have a guard anyway," she asked pulling him in closely and under her breath.

"Nothing to do with you," he quietly promised.

"Oh. Her," her eyes lifted upwards.

"Don't," was all he said.

She gave him a look and crossed her arms, daring him to say anything further.

"Why are you here?" he suspiciously asked, knowing the answer, but hoping for the best.

With innocent eyes and a wave of her hand she tried to play it off, "When I told the boys about Eddie that he's new in town and doesn't have anybody to play with they insisted we come by after my mother's."

Just then the little boy, who had been taking his afternoon nap despite the fact that it had yet to pass the morning hours where he was, rolled on the sofa he'd fallen asleep on with a gentle murmur of "Ma," a tiny little hand clenched the blanket his father had placed around him earlier before looking up worriedly, pouting as he whimpered, "Jay," as his mother wasn't around.

Carly wasn't surprised to see Jason dash to the little boy; wasn't surprised to see the warmth in Jason's eyes as he lifted the young boy and comforted him, wasn't at all surprised to see the little boy accept it. _There was just something about Jason. _

"It's all right Jaime," she heard him reassure and she frowned along with Michael.

Two mouths opened, but Michael's proved quicker than his mother's, after all he'd had an excellent teacher, "I thought his name was Eddie?"

Jason made a face, "Yea," he nodded, "you should probably call him that."

"But you aren't going to?" Michael questioned.

"I don't think so," he answered.

"Is this because he's named after Mr. Quartermaine? My great-grandfather?"

_Eddie's as well, _that thought bothered him. The Quartermaines would be his son's family, they wouldn't be his, but they would be his son's. "Actually yes Michael," he truthfully answered the boy he loved as deeply as his own, the boy he had watched grow from a baby.

"He's-" Michael was about to continue, point out that Mr. Quartermaine was Jason's grandfather and they were supposed to be doing better at getting along with them after Mrs…his great-grandmother died.

"Enough questions Michael," his mother quickly stopped him, she'd wanted the boys to put Jason on the spot, but not about this, "Why don't you take Morgan and Eddie over to explore what looks like a small toy store over there," she nodded with a smile and then an accusing glance.

Jason didn't bother acknowledging her look as he appeared \hesitant to put the young boy cradled in his arms down before slowly lowering him to the ground, hunkering down with him.

_Crap, _she thought to herself, _he's got it bad already. _

"Come on Eddie," Michael commanded the youngest boy, just as he always did his brother, "we're gonna go play."

"It's alright," Jason promised from nearly eye level, "I'll be right here."

"Come on," Michael said walking over to place a hand on the younger boy's shoulder talking to him as a compadre, "Morgan had a lot of these toys," he said reassuringly nodding, "some of them are pretty cool," he promised leading him away.

Carly chuckled at her son before giving a look to Jason as he worriedly looked after the boys just a few feet away. "Jaime?" she questioned as she walked closer to her best friend.

"His middle name is James," he answered.

She rolled her eyes, "Renaming him though Jason. Don't you think you're getting a little too attached? I mean this is Brenda, give her a few months, she'll find a new guy or Sonny will blink at her," she added with distain. She shook it off before continuing on, "And then where will you be? Meanwhile Sam is-"

"Hey Mom-" Michael called over as he hadn't been allowing the little boys to play, but instead introducing them to each other and Eddie to the town.

"Honey," Carly looked over, quickly reassuring herself that everyone was still fine, "Jason and I are in the middle of something."

"Oh, okay," he nodded and turned his attention back to Eddie, "me and Morgan, we're like your cousins now because Jason's our uncle, we don't really call him our uncle," he frowned not really knowing, why he didn't call Jason, 'Uncle Jason.'

"Oh no no no," Carly quickly shot away from Jason and headed towards the boys. "No calling each other cousins, Eddie's _just_ living with Jason for awhile," she quickly tried to explain.

"You can call him your cousin," Jason countermanded her order.

Michael looked between his mother and Jason, not knowing who to follow, logic would go with Jason, but his mom could get pretty cranky when she didn't get her way.

She rushed back towards him, "You are not," she grabbed Jason by the arm and slightly turned their bodies away from Michael's prying eyes, "telling my boys that her son is their cousin. I am not letting them get attached to a kid that will probably only end up being in town for a few months just because he's living with you."

"Carly-" Jason began.

"Uh guys?" Michael questioned, turning both of their attention back to him, "Cousin or not?"

"Cousin," Jason answered.

"Not," his mother shot a furious look at his uncle. "You cannot tell Michael to call Eddie his cousin just because he's living with you," another attempt at a hushed whisper that Michael heard, just as he normally did.

He had wanted to do this quietly, in order, preferably with Carly last, so she didn't tell anyone before he had the chance to. "Michael, you know you're my nephew," he began, "you and Morgan, but you-"

"Biological," Michael interjected.

Jason nodded, "Eddie," he used the name to ensure total clarity amongst all, "is my son. Biologically," he reused the word, "you two are cousins.

"Cool," Michael nodded as his mother's eyes went wide. "So like me and Spencer are Eddie and Morgan?"

Jason nodded.

"Play," Carly ordered her son before turning to Jason. "You-" her hand raised, in a stop motion more against her line of thoughts than any words Jason had been preparing to utter. "Brenda-" her head shook. Her eyes closed and she let out a breath through her nose, "Please tell me you weren't dumb enough to take her word on this, I'm not even going to begin to think about…" her hand waved too disgusted to verbalize it.

"Carly-" he calmly began.

Her hand raised and silenced him; she looked between him and the boys several times before saying, "Kitchen," firmly to him. "Michael," she called out as she quickly began to walk, "you're in charge."

"I don't think-" Jason began not wanting to leave his son alone.

"Guard in the hall, us in the kitchen, how much trouble do you think they can get into," Carly pointed out before dragging her best friend off.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Brenda tentatively poked her head into the stairwell having heard Carly's voice as she'd gotten out of the shower, but realizing it was gone as she'd finished dressing once more in just Jason's boxers and a tee-shirt, her hair sopping wet hoping Robin would arrive soon to deal with it.

Hearing some chatter, she frowned realizing it didn't belong to an adult.

She snuck down a few steps before reassuring herself that it was indeed Michael's voice.

"Hey Brenda," Michael said the moment she reached the first floor.

"Hi Michael," she smiled back, pleased that he remembered her and amazed to see how much he'd grown. "You've met Eddie?" she smiled and nodded, pleased with the fact that her son was ignoring her after a quick glance back to continue playing with Morgan, well pleased and broken-hearted at the same time.

"Yea," then he frowned, "why is Jason calling him Jaime?"

"He and Mr. Quartermaine don't exactly get along," she nodded.

"My dad doesn't always get along with Grandpa Mike, but he still calls me Michael."

"It's complicated," she explained, not sure how detailed an answer she should give to a ten year old, especially considering it wasn't her place.

"He's angry at him for not being the same Jason," Michael nodded.

She paused for a moment, briefly looking at the two little boys more interested in the toys and each other than the conversation, she turned back to Michael, "I think he's angry at himself," a bittersweet smile, "for letting Jason get hurt in the first place."

"But it was an accident," Michael quickly countered.

"People are funny," she offered up a smile instead of trying to explain just how preventable Jason's accident had been.

"Okay," he nodded not believing her.

"So what have you been up to?" she asked with a smile, sure that Carly was about to come peaking out of a corner with Jason at any moment, but not being able to just run off on a conversation with Michael to avoid it.

"Not much," his head shook in a very adult manner. "School's started again, it's not that interesting, I have a good teacher and all, but-" he shrugged, "I prefer the summer."

She laughed, "Yea I always did too."

He smiled, "Yea, I can't-Oh I forgot to thank you for my picture of Fawkes," he suddenly brightened.

"You're welcome," she smiled and nodded. "I saw it at a street fair and remembered Emily telling me how much you liked Harry Potter."

"Yea," he nodded, "there's a new one coming out this year. I don't think we know when though."

"How did Morgan like his truck?" she questioned, "I didn't know what to get him."

"Are you kidding? That thing's awesome. It makes like ten different sounds," he replied with a child's enthusiasm, "it drives my mom insane. My dad's made him take it outside."

She laughed, "That's great."

"Great?" Carly's voice interrupted their conversation. "Great, gee I can't wait to hear what's so great."

Brenda's smile fell, Jason followed Carly in like a man being led to his death, Michael turned to his mother with slight apprehension picking up on the vibes. "I was thanking Brenda for my painting of Fawkes and Michael's truck."

"What do you mean?" her head shook. "Emily got you those things."

"Uh actually Emily just brought them over, so technically I wasn't lying when I said Emily gave them to us."

"And what other things have you technically not been lying about?" her arms crossed and she studied her son.

"Oh come on Mom, they're gifts."

"Well why did you think you needed to lie to me?"

Michael rolled his eyes for that.

"How long have you been lying to me?"

"Not long," he nodded, "I think other people used to do it before me."

Carly turned to Jason, who refused to acknowledge any type of wrongdoing, peacekeeping yes, wrongdoing no.

"Mom, come on, she was my aunt," he turned back to Brenda with a smile, "hey I guess technically you're kind of-"

"No," his mother ordered, eliciting a smirk from Brenda.

"Under no circumstances will you be calling her Aunt."

"But Eddie's my-"

"Not up for discussion," his mother quickly dashed the argument.

There was a knock at the door, Brenda turned back with a relieved smile, "And that would be Robin."

"Freakin great," could be heard by all coming from the blonde in the room.

"Hey-" Brenda's bright smile fell into one of confusion as she opened the door not seeing Robin, but instead Monica and Alan nearly being blocked from sight by the obscenely large guard.

"They say they're-"

She cut him off, "Yea they're fine. Come on in guys," Brenda smiled as they were allowed past the guard, both of them shooting, 'told ya so' looks at him.

"You were mentioning that you needed to go out and pick up some things yesterday," Monica smiled. "We figured we'd save you the trouble and Jason the agony," Monica continued to brightly smile.

"So instead she drags me," Alan warmly smiled.

"Oh thanks," she responded with wide and very confused eyes.

"All your toiletries they no longer let you carry on the plane," Monica smiled. "Oh look Alan, Michael and Morgan are here as well."

Brenda dryly rolled her eyes.

"I see that," Alan nodded, "Good morning everyone."

"I hope we aren't intruding on anything?" Monica remarked as she itched to go further into the room.

"I really hope you guys didn't practice that," Brenda asked wondering where her 'licking her wounds' time had disappeared to.

"Practice what?" Monica asked with widening blue eyes.

"I think she's talking about the fact that Eddie's my cousin," Michael interjected.

"Oh really?" it was Alan's turn to have wide eyes.

"You guys suck at playing dumb, nice bribe though, next time you might want to try cook's-"

"Blueberry scones?" Alan asked lifting the smaller bag he was carrying bag as Monica had switched with him in the elevator, deciding that she would be the one to do the talking and therefore offering the larger bribe.

"Man after my own heart," Brenda smiled and snatched the bag, "welcome. Interrupt little boys playing at your own peril."

"Good morning Michael," Alan smiled brightly, "if I'd known you were going to be here I would have had Cook whip up some of those cherry double-chocolate cookies."

"Cherry double chocolate cookies?" Brenda repeated nearly salivating.

"Oh yea," Michael nodded, "they're amazing," he said thinking of the cookies Emily would surprise him and Morgan with.

"They really are," Monica replied with her eyes rolling back in chocolate induced lust.

"I'll make sure to have her whip up a batch soon," Alan promised.

"Just promise to keep them away from me this time," Monica chuckled.

"Last time I did that you threatened to kick me out of our room," Alan dryly responded.

"Then I suggest you hide them and have her prepare them while I'm at the hospital so I don't smell them baking," Monica quickly responded, knowing she'd still be mad if he didn't save her one.

-x-x-X-x-x-

"Okay boys, time to go," Carly quickly ordered with a clap of her hands as she walked back into the living room with Jason, after talking/yelling in the kitchen.

"Oh so soon?" Monica asked with wide eyes from the couch where Michael was animatedly filling them in on his summer and his new class.

"I've got a meeting with the new head chef at the Metro Court," Carly quickly explained.

"Well can't Morgan and me stay with Jason?" he asked with wide eyes, not wanting to be forced to sit still and not 'act up' while his mom talked, _it was the weekend! _

"I'm sorry Michael, I've got to go out."

"But I-"

"I'm here," Brenda offered with a shrug from her seated position next to Robin on the floor, scones in hand as they went through Monica's bag of goodies.

"I thought Robin came over to do your hair?" Jason asked gesturing to the scattered products on his floor.

"I'll wet it again and she can brush it out down here," she changed her plans.

"I thought the entire point of her coming over was to straighten it or something so you didn't have to do anything with it for a couple of days?"

"Gee I feel wanted," Robin gave Brenda an attempt at a hurt look, as always with her girl acting like a teenager instead of an adult.

"Yea well don't think you get to leave even if you're not doing my hair," Brenda ordered.

"Monica and I don't have any plans for the day," Alan casually offered.

Carly and Jason both viewed them suspiciously.

"And it's a lovely day out, your father and I could take the boys to the park," Monica innocently remarked.

"No"/"I don't think so," fell on top of each other.

"Sounds good," came from the opposite side of the room.

"Brenda," Jason began and looked at her.

"Hey Eddie," she called out and the little boy looked over, "want to go to the park?"

Blue eyes widened and the toy in front of him forgotten, his eyes desperately searched the area and he ran towards the door and his head shook when he didn't find what he was looking for, "Shoes?" He continued to scan.

She chuckled, "We'll grab those in a minute," she said standing, "you're not going to go with me though; you're going to go with Mon…Grandma Monica and Grandpa Alan."

"You," he tugged on her hands.

"Not me, if you want to stay with me you have to stay here. If you want to go to the park you go with Grandma Monica and Grandpa Alan," she explained again.

He looked warily over at them and then back to his mother, "Swings?" he tentatively questioned.

"But of course," Monica brightly smiled causing her grandson to look back.

"Slide?" he once more pondered this deal.

"How could you go to the park and not go down the slide?" She continued to brightly smile as she shook her head at his silliness over such an absurd question.

"Ice cream?"

"Definitely," Alan threw in with his own smile, having no problem bribing his grandson to like him, "that's my favorite part."

Eddie looked over at Jason and then back to his mother, "Jay come?"

"No, I've got to go out buddy," Jason sadly spoke, not actually wanting to.

"Mike n' Mor?" he looked at his mother with large eyes, beginning to tear with wanting to go, but not being sure.

Brenda shot an accusing look over to Jason and Carly.

"Mom," Michael whined.

"No it's lunch time, you and Morgan are going to sit down and have lunch while-"

"Mom we ate at Grandma Bobbie's, we just had those scone things, we're not -"

"There are burgers and hot dogs at the park or we could go to Kelly's," Monica offered with a wave of her hand.

"Please Mom," Michael started to resemble the child he was and not the man he tried to be as his heels dug in and his eyes lifted up in pleading.

She sighed looking at Michael and then firmly looked at Monica and Alan, "An hour and a half, I'll meet you back here. An ice cream, no soda, only water," she ordered. She looked down at her son, "No Kelly's, no fries, no pretzels, I'll pick you up from here and you'll have a sandwich at home and a piece of fruit, I may even throw in some broccoli," she threatened.

"Mom," Michael replied with large eyes, "ANYTHING, is better than sitting around the hotel on a Saturday."

"You're sending a guard with them," she turned and ordered Jason, "actually you're sending two." She turned back to Monica and Alan, "Don't even think about trying anything funny."

"We'd just like to spend a nice day in the park with the boys," Alan promised.

She gave him a disbelieving look and looked back down at her son, "Watch your little brother and Eddie; I don't think they're ever been around kids. Only the little kid park, Morgan might be big enough for-"

"But Eddie isn't," he nodded. "I got it Mom."

Carly looked up at Brenda as she grabbed her purse, "Anything goes wrong I'm blaming you," she threatened.

She didn't doubt it.

"An hour and a half," she repeated as she bent down to kiss Morgan.

"We'll be here waiting," Monica promised.

Carly walked back over to her eldest son and dropped a kiss on his cheek, "None of this technical stuff or you aren't coming out of your room till Christmas."

He laughed, "Bye Mom."

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	11. Exposing Truths

**AN: **Umm. So I'm thinking I lost all, but one of my readers for 'To Come Back' hopefully this story isn't the same way. Ayshen you're a great reader. If no one else reviews to it, I'll email you the rest of the story. :-P

**Once more I hope you guys still like this story. **

* * *

**Exposing Truths **

**Sonny's Living Room- **

"She driving you insane already?" Sonny asked with a bright smile as he noticed Jason's expression as he'd turned to his friend's greeting of, 'Sonny.'

Jason didn't know what to say.

Sonny chuckled and put down his glass, "That bad? Or wait let me guess, Carly?"

"She came by awhile ago with the boys," Jason acknowledged.

Sonny once more laughed, "I warned you."

"The boys got along," he added.

"That's good," Sonny nodded, "I'd like them to be friends," his eyes diverted from Jason's gaze as he spoke.

"Sonny," Jason began a second later causing Sonny's eyes to return to him.

Sonny waited.

It took him a second longer and he couldn't figure out any other way to say it, than how he had told himself, "He's mine."

Confusion instantly flooded Sonny's eyes and he looked at his friend with a frown trying to figure out what he was saying. "He's..."

"He's my son."

Sonny laughed and shook his head, "Come on Jason, there's no need to lie to me. The mod-," the word died on his lips, "Jax's…" a look of disgust passed his face, "She slept with him again? You know I-"

"Sonny," Jason stopped his friend. Sonny turned back to him, "I'm not covering for her."

A short laugh of disbelief, "You and Brenda?" his head knocked to the side, waiting for the punch-line.

"It was right after Courtney and I decided to get a divorce."

"You and Brenda," Sonny repeated the words, still trying to understand it.

"Yea," he confirmed.

"You can't stand each other," Sonny said still struggling to comprehend such a fact.

He didn't respond to that, he didn't know how.

"You were upset over Courtney," Sonny tried to explain it.

"Courtney and I…It had been a long time coming."

Sonny's head shook and then he smiled, "How much did you and Brenda have to drink to fall into bed together?"

He remained silent.

Sonny's mouth parted ever so slightly at his friend's reaction before closing his mouth, nodding briefly before responding with, "Oh."

"I'm sorry," the words came out of Jason's lips without him being aware he was saying them. He didn't want to be saying them, not after Carly and Sonny, but…He was. He was sorry Sonny's life with her had been taken away against his wishes. He was sorry, he had given the advice that had led his friend away from her, he had been sorry of that the moment he saw Sonny after her 'death.' He was sorry for the pain his friend was in now. He was sorry for a lot of things in his life. He wasn't sorry for his son though.

Sonny's head shook, "This is…" He grimaced.

Jason remained stoic.

A pained laugh emerged Sonny, and his shoulders buckled forward as if trying to curl into himself, block the pain from reaching the vital parts of him. "I…This is what it feels like." He turned to Jason, "Carly, Michael…" His head shook, "All of the times I said I was sorry…" his head shook again, "I knew that didn't make up for it, but…" He looked away, "I had no idea it felt like this."

"Sonny," Jason spoke his friend's name, but had no idea what was supposed to follow it.

He turned back, still looking stunned. When Jason didn't speak after a second, it allowed questions to tumble around Sonny's brain, instead of just the pain. "You just found out?"

Jason nodded.

Sonny's eyes narrowed trying to understand that, "I can understand Brenda keeping…"his head shook, "why would she tell you now though?"

"You understand why she would have kept-"

Sonny shook his head, "Everything Brenda's been through because of me…We don't lead a safe life."

_He knew that. He had been thinking about it since he found out. _It was his segue into the second part of why he came here, but before he could speak, Sonny began again.

"Why would she tell you now? I mean if anything-"

"Sam," Jason cut him off.

Sonny looked completely lost with that answer.

"Sam's baby," Jason looked straight at his friend.

"Oh god Jason," Sonny's eyes closed as he realized he had been the cause of his friend not finding out he was a father for two years.

"She thought I wouldn't want him because he wasn't her."

Sonny's eyes clenched further in pain.

"As if one child-"

Sonny's head shook, "She's lived it. Her dad…"

"I-"

Sonny shook his head, effectively cutting off his friend, "You what Jason?" He turned and looked at him, "You would never do it? You'd never hurt your son? Or Brenda?" Sonny's anger seemed to emerge out of nowhere, "Ask yourself why would you be any different? Every single person that was supposed to love her…" His head shook, "We all almost destroyed her."

"I-" he didn't know why he felt the urge to interrupt, he normally just let Sonny rail, but…

"Everyone she should have been able to trust. Her entire family. Me, more times than I can count, Jax, even Alcazar."

"When have I-"

That's when the true awareness hit Sonny's eyes and Jason stopped speaking as he saw his friend's mouth drop. "The moment she thought you slept with Sam that's when."

"I never-"

"But she thought you did!" Sonny near yelled, not sure why he was, but he was.

"She should have known better!" Jason's voice was firm, but nowhere near Sonny's volume level.

"Why?" Sonny asked with another shake of his head and a lowering of his voice, "It finally proved you were one of us. Sleeping with her, right after sleeping with Sam? She hasn't slept around since she was a teenager. She…" And that's what got him, "She trusted you."

That made Jason tense up.

Sonny swallowed hard, "And once again, it was me that hurt her." His entire body tensed up as well, but in revulsion. _How did he always manage to hurt her?_ He walked over to the armchair and collapsed into it. "Her son…your son." There had been a third party hurt along with two of the people he'd always love the most, the little boy that should have been his and he loved him by simple association even though they'd never met. Sonny let out a deep sigh as he closed his eyes, "You should have known her better Jason…" his head shook, before he opened his weary eyes to look up at his best friend, "You should have told me."

Jason didn't like the thought of that.

"You're so good with Carly, how couldn't you have seen through Brenda?"

"I trusted her."

Sonny gave a small chuckle. "I hope you've learned your lesson," he added with a smile.

Jason couldn't help, but smile a bit in return.

"I'm sorry," Sonny honestly told him.

"It's not your fault," it was his, he could see that now. Or well, theirs, because despite everything she should have known him better.

Sonny let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Congratulations," he remembered to add with a knowing smile, after years of imagining he was her child's father, it was an honor awarded to someone else.

"Thank you."

"He looks like a great little boy," then he sucked in a deep breath, "aside from being named Eddie."

"Jaime," Jason corrected.

Sonny's eyebrows lifted.

"Jimmy's too common."

"You renamed him?"

"It's his middle name."

"And Brenda's okay with this?"

"I'm not calling him Eddie," was Jason's answer to that.

Sonny chuckled again, "As long as she doesn't change his last name to Quartermaine."

Jason frowned over that, but answered, "His last name is Barrett."

Sonny's eyebrows lifted over that, "That didn't clue you in that the pretty boy wasn't his father?"

"I didn't know until I saw his passport this morning," he'd uncovered it while looking for a toy.

"She changing it to Morgan?"

"Why would she?"

"You're his father?"

"So?" Not that he didn't understand the concepts behind it…

"Children normally take their father's last names?"

"And I untook mine."

Sonny laughed.

"I'm fine with him being Barrett."

Sonny noticed his friend's omission of the word, 'a' in that sentence and he knew Jason saw last names as being just that, a last name and not what defined the person. Sonny smiled, _if anyone had to be a father to her children aside from him… _"Isn't Morgan Lila's maiden name?"

"Yea," Jason nodded.

"You both hate your fa-"

"I don't hate Alan."

"You did," Sonny pointed out.

Jason didn't bother correcting him and telling him, he wasn't even sure he understood hate well enough then or understood Alan enough, to have that word apply. He didn't exactly agree with Alan, but he understood him enough to know he was his father. An odd concept really, one he never really thought about and suddenly left him feeling rather uncomfortable. A realization of his biological family, not only being his son's family, but his own. _ It had always been his own._

"The point is you both loved Lila," Sonny smiled.

"It's up to Brenda," he shrugged.

-x-x-X-x-x-

Several minutes pasted, with a few more of Sonny's theories, comments, and suggestions before Jason could find the right moment to bring up his second topic. "I need out Sonny."

The subject turned and looked bewildered, once more not understanding what his friend was saying.

"I already lost two years with him," the thoughts and realizations that came with being a father would have kept him up last night, even if his son hadn't.

"Jason, I understand-"

"He deserves a father," aside from that Jason wanted to be his father. Not Sonny or Jax or anyone else.

"He has a father," was Sonny's quick response, he needed Jason, the business needed Jason.

"Not if I'm in jail or dead."

"Jase-"

"I wasn't asking your permission Sonny."

Another startle.

"If you need me to leave the city, I will. I would prefer not-"

"No," Sonny's head shook. "Don't. Brenda," Sonny nodded, "she needs to be around people who care."

Jason watched his friend struggling over whether to let him go without a fight or not.

Sonny studied Jason's eyes, his stance, "There's no convincing you otherwise?"

"I'm sorry," Jason apologized yet again.

"No," Sonny shook his head and walked towards the terrace doors. "Don't apologize for something I told you to do years ago," _with Michael…Michael that small, sweet, innocent baby, Jason's son. _"Something that I tried to do," Sonny added and followed with a sigh as he closed his eyes. "We made the right decisions…Jason, Morgan, Kristina, Ed…Jaime." His head nodded as his tilted back, still trying to convince himself. "The right path."

"Yea," Jason added, not disagreeing on the right path, but he wasn't sure of the part he'd gotten to play in making those decisions or at least not the main one. He also knew for damn sure that if someone had asked him to give up Michael even for all the children in the world, he would have never done it, but seeing Eddie…Somehow he knew it ended up as it should have been.

"Jason," Sonny turned slowly, not wanting to, "about you and Brenda."

"There is no me and Brenda," Jason heard the connotation in his former business partner's voice.

Sonny smirked a bit as his eyes briefly closed; he followed it up with a headshake. "When there is Jason," he looked directly at his friend, "its okay."

-x-x-X-x-x-

**The Pier: **

"Jason, I'm so glad you called," Sam's bright and cheery voice announced walking down the stairs as Jason looked out onto the water.

He turned back without a smile.

"Or maybe not,' her smile fell as she came to a dead stop a few feet away from him.

"We need to talk," those four dreaded words in a relationship, even one that had already been ended.

"Definitely not," a plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Sam," he began.

"Brenda," she cut him off, "Carly warned me," she let out a bitter chuckle, "though I didn't expect it this fast." She spun to face him directly after making a move to walk away, "Though I guess I should be honored you're actually having the decency to tell me to my face since after all we're over, you've made that quite clear on several occasions," her words, bitter, sarcastic and poorly covering the hurt.

"Sam," he began again. _He had loved her. _ He still did on a lot of levels.

"What Jason?" her brown eyes grew wide with fury. "Don't feel hurt that she's giving you the one thing I couldn't?" Her palms and arms lifted with the question, daring him to prove her wrong. She laughed when he didn't, "Not lying about it…I suppose I should give you credit for that." Her head shook and she looked up with a mixture of hurt and angry eyes, the pain starting to show more. "What is this musical chairs with you and Sonny? First Carly, then me and now Brenda?" Another head shake and her ponytail went flying, "Oh," it swung with a vengeance, "This is even better than that. He takes Michael, so you're more than willing to step in with my baby and when that falls through, backup plan with Brenda's son?" She turned and walked a couple steps before turning back, "It's funny though because Michael wasn't your son and Brenda's son isn't his son."

"He's mine," Jason interjected before she could go off again.

Her attention swung back for that, "What?" her eyes narrowed.

"This isn't about Sonny, Carly or Michael or even about you and Brenda. He's my son, Sam."

"No," her voice lower than it had been the entire conversation, her head shook softly, "he's the age our…" she couldn't say it. She couldn't mention the little girl they should be chasing after constantly and not putting flowers on a grave once a month.

"I'm sorry," he found himself apologizing for a lot of things for which he wasn't responsible. _Seeing them hurt though…_

"No," she repeated again, as if, if she didn't accept it, it wouldn't be true.

"Sam," he spoke her name as he took a step forward.

"No," she repeated and took a step back, "**we** were having a baby, **we** were going to be a family."

"I didn't-" he tried to explain that he didn't know.

"No," she repeated again. Her head shook stronger, "No. I can't do this now. I need to go. My mother's in the hospital. I need to get back to her."

He closed his eyes as she left and just stood.

* * *

_**So anyone still reading this?**_


	12. Accepting Truths

Ooops, I didn't mean you all needed to respond. Just avoid what happened on 'To Come Back' which went from over ten reviewers to one (which did get bumped up to 2, thanks IlovetowriteSMP) and even the hits fell by over half, but your reviews were awesome guys! And even if this weren't just a little teaser chapter (it should have been this, then a brief few paragraphs, then an epilogue, but I wanted to post something of this to go along with the new short story I just posted. Wanted to make sure you guys knew I didn't forget about you), I wouldn't expect anywhere near as many (honestly with just this little blurb for a chapter, you can skip reviewing I'm okay with it :-P).

**AN **(regarding the past few days on GH): Did they just…They didn't actually…(runs to read spoilers)…huh maybe they did, but….

Oh man sooo many one shots running through my head after this week.

Oh and ewww regarding spoilers involving Jason…Like ewww ewww ewww.

* * *

**Accepting Truths **

**The Docks- **

He stood on the docks for what seemed like hours.

Maybe he should have chased after Sam, tried to explain what she already knew.

Brenda and Jaime _were_ his family now. He knew he'd always put them before everyone else from this point on.

He didn't dare think about the what ifs that he knew were running through his former fiancée's mind. _If he had known… _

They both knew the answer to that as well, everything that had been…It wouldn't have been.

Life changed, drastically and continuously.

He didn't get to be a father to Michael. To his child with Courtney. To Sam's daughter. To Hope. But Jaime…

He had another chance.

The past suddenly wasn't so important. Almost as if he was starting again.

Fear, joy, excitement, love.

_Maybe they all were. _

Brenda in the city she loved with the people she loved.

Sonny finally letting go.

Monica and Alan…

Grandsons instead of sons.

Maybe he was grateful for that. They had changed. Maybe they could be the grandparents Jaime and Michael deserved.

And he…

He had a son.

A rambunctious, inquisitive, compassionate, beautiful little boy.

With Brenda.

_With Brenda and he no longer had a place to go in the middle of the day… _

He should look into opening a new garage.

"Oh," was the startled exclamation from his mother.

He turned to see her blue eyes rimmed with red and hand covering her mouth. "Is everything alright?" he rushed towards her, "Did-"

She let out a sweet smile and waved her hand, "Everyone's fine," she let out a soft chuckle, "Everyone's back with their mothers. Alan's at the hospital."

"Then why are you-" he asked standing before her.

"It's a grandmother's prerogative to cry over having such beautiful grandsons," she shook her head gently looking at her youngest son. "He's so much like you," she found herself saying as she looked up into his caring blue eyes that were still the eyes of her baby despite everything. "So much like you and it's so beautiful," she touched his cheek gently, _her baby. _

He knew that look; it went beyond him, deep into him, seeing something that was no longer there. It hardened him slightly, but he didn't pull away, "Brenda says he reminds her of…who I-"

"He does," she nodded stopping her son from having to say the uncomfortable words, "I love you Jason, your father and I both love you. All of you," she promised looking deep into his eyes, cupping both sides of his face within her hands. "I know it was difficult, but I hope you know how much we love **you. **Not the person you were or the person you're going to be, but you."

"I do," he nodded. _He did. _

"I'm glad," she smiled at him as her eyes welled up again. "And Michael," she looked slightly away, not being able to say it to Jason, not being able to speak about a man she knew he hated. "He's so protective of him; he wouldn't let either of the boys out of his sight." She looked back at him, the man he hated, but the boy he had never known. "He was so bored of going down the slide, but he couldn't talk them into anything else, so he just kept going down with them, doing anything without them wasn't an option."

He didn't say anything.

"We have such beautiful grandsons, watching them…It makes the world better," she smiled at him again. She studied her son for a second taking advantage of the opportunity he had given her to say the things he normally didn't let her say, "You're going to be an amazing father. Even if I didn't know you, seeing Michael, so much of the good in him is because of you."

"Carly and Sonny are good parents," he automatically defended.

"I know they are, I also know how much he loves and respects you," she told her son, bypassing his argument to return to her point.

Once more he didn't say anything.

"We'd like to spend more time with them," she nodded, "all three of the boys."

"I'm sure Brenda's-"

She stopped her son with a look, _Brenda wasn't the issue, _"I just thought I'd warn you, I'm assuming Carly will have an issue with it. I'm hoping-"

"That you'll have my support?"

She nodded, "If it's going to make you uncomfortable," she immediately backtracked.

"No," he shook his head suddenly clear on the subject, "it's a good idea." Michael was curious about the Quartermaines and he had no good answers to give him.

She smiled. "Go home to your son Jason." She knowingly looked at him, "There's nothing out here that can't be beat by being with him. Take it from someone with experience, you'll spend your life wishing you could go back and just build castles and race cars if you don't."

He nodded, "I'll see you later."

She nodded back, a second later she called out, "I love you Jason."

He once more nodded back.

* * *

**When I say short I mean short. :-P **

(Last part should be up in the next two days though)


	13. Just Right

**AN:** Lied again. "To Come Back" wanted to be written yesterday and "To Return" today and this part wanted to grow (Honestly like a quarter of a page in my mind grew to 2 and a half). This actually the 'end' of the story, but the true end does happen in the little epilogue that should make an appearance in a couple of days.

So seriously someone needs to tackle SB, chop off his hair and toss in a few highlights.

And now onto the story….

* * *

**Just Right **

He hadn't looked forward to going home in months. It was empty and cold.

More often than not, it ached. Walking through those doors to the silence physically hurt.

He missed Sam, he missed Carly, he missed the boys.

But now he found himself rushing. He could imagine Brenda on the floor with Jaime surrounded by toys.

He could imagine, he could dream, he plan the future, want for the future. For learning how to ride a bike, first day of school, first…And hopefully his son would remember his first set of firsts.

He would do everything in his power to keep him safe. Keep him safe, but not stifle him. Let him learn how to be himself, to breathe.

He wondered…

Wondered who his son would be, aside from the little boy he was now.

If what they said was true, if children grew to be their parents, watching him and keeping him safe would be a full time job.

Wondered about the nature versus nurture debate that he'd listen to Carly ramble about. Listen to her panic about AJ existing within her son, but then watch her smile, drop a kiss to his cheek and remind herself and him that within Michael was part of what made him, him, the Quartermaine biology and if he survived it, then so could Michael.

He wondered if that was true, if that really mattered.

He wondered if Jaime would be Jason Quartermaine's son.

He wondered why he suddenly felt guilty for that. For existing.

_For not being the best father for his son. _

He knew no matter how well he had adapted, he wasn't the same and it wasn't just a matter of memories.

He would be less.

He would be less, but his son would be whole and he would have to adapt to having a father who was _less. _

And it bothered him that, that bothered him. You do your best. You try and you do your best and that was just life. But he wanted more for Jaime…

Still though it didn't slow his rush to return to the penthouse.

He couldn't give his son the father he deserved, but that didn't mean he didn't get to try to any less.

-x-X-x-

He frowned walking into the silent apartment, despite having just been assured by Milo and Tim that Miss Barrett had a calm afternoon at home.

Too quiet for Brenda and a rambunctious toddler, he wanted to reach for his gun, but was sure that was overreacting and he didn't want to scare her away, remind her of everything that existed within Port Charles.

"Thought I heard you," she greeted walking into his line of sight from the kitchen.

He frowned looking at the plate in one hand and the beer in the other. "What's that?"

"Cookies."

"Why aren't they in a cellophane wrapper?"

"Weren't you the guy who used to tell me to bake him cookies, brownies, cakes," she frowned, "dinner, lunch, breakfast…" she cocked her head at him, "you know you're a lot more archaic than I thought you were."

"You made me cookies?" he frowned looking down at them as she approached him.

"Well me, Tollhouse and a spoon."

"Uh thank you," he said taking them from her.

"No problem," she smiled and went to give him the beer as he sat.

He took it and frowned further, "What did you do?" he asked looking up at her.

"What do you mean, what did I do? I'm offended you'd think I'd try to-" she stopped as she realized the intense gaze wasn't lessoning. "I thought you might like it."

He gave her a disbelieving look and put down the plate, "You're not trying to make up for the fact that you lied about our son for two and a half years with cookies and a beer."

"Well when you put it like that, it doesn't sound quite so nice," she flopped onto the couch next to him.

"A plate full of chocolate chip cookies to make up missing the first two years of my son's life?"

"And sugar, the kind with sprinkles, white chocolate oatmeal raisin, brownies," she turned to him, "did you know they made brownies," she went to grab a cookie.

"Hey," he went to pull the plate out of her reach.

"What you're not going to share?" brown eyes showed their outrage.

"There are three cookies."

"Considering it was me, Robin, Milo and Eddie in the kitchen, be amazed you got that many."

"So stop trying to take them. Remember the not telling me-"

"I had him," her blunt declaration interrupted his.

"And I would have been there-"

"Do you have any idea what happens to you when you're pregnant? Aside from the nausea, the heartburn, having to pee every two minutes. Ever heard of a kegal? One of those words that either enters your vocabulary or you end up real embarrassed. A year and a half of not being able to eat what I wanted, drink what I wanted because heaven forbid a kid doesn't get breastfed in this day and age, I mean I think it's the equivalent of child abuse to some people. I couldn't take hot baths, despite the fact that all of me hurt. I had to gloop on all of this crap twice a day just trying to make sure my body would eventually look somewhat human again. And sleep? I'm just starting to-"

"I could have gotten up with him.

"Really you could done the peeing, backaches and soccer player inside of you? The breastfeeding? And do you have any idea what actually goes on during labor? I mean all the indignities you think you've-"

The plate was shoved at her.

She smirked and took one.

"Where is he?"

"Eddie's conked out. He had too much excitement and crashed after his sugar high. Speaking of which, we're going to have to figure out how to go through this stash when he's asleep or out of the house because it was not a pretty sight."

He nodded and took a swig of his beer, "Sorry I took so long."

"You don't owe me any explanations. I invaded your life."

"That's never stopped you before from demanding them."

She just shrugged.

He didn't point out she had the right now to ask; that she deserved a lot more than he was used to giving. "I was at Sonny's."

She turned for that, the next bite of her cookie forgotten.

"He knows."

"How much?" her eyes narrowed.

"I told him about Jared last night," he looked her directly in the eye.

"What right do you-"

"He would have found out, it's better that I told him."

"If Carly-"

"He won't say anything to her," he promised. "I told him about Jaime today."

"Eddie," she corrected.

He ignored her.

"How'd he take it?"

"Fine."

"Fine?" her eyebrows lifted for that. "No one took it _fine_."

"Monica and Alan-"

"Were ecstatic, big difference between that and fine and I don't think Sonny falls under the ecstatic category so it's not just the matter of you not using the right vocab."

"He was fine with it once I talked him into believing it. He thought I was covering for you, that Jax was his father."

She nearly gagged at that. Once that passed she gave Jason a thoughtful look, "How is he?"

"He's good," the nodded following a sip of beer, "better."

"That's good."

"Brenda, you're not-"

"No," she cut him off.

"You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"The answer is no," she once more laid it out clearly.

Another sip of beer.

"Have you been sleeping in my bed?"

"Is that Goldilocks?" he frowned.

"You have been. I thought it smelled way too much like you."

"I couldn't sleep in my old bed."

"Right Sam," she broke off a piece of the cookie before eating it.

"I'll go-"

"No," she waved another broken piece, "its fine I was just asking."

"No it's silly-"

"I'm not about to sleep away from Eddie in a new place and I'm pretty sure you'd just prop a chair up in the doorway otherwise. We're grown ups, we can deal with sharing a bed for a few days before we get everything settled."

"I was thinking about a house," his thoughts found their voice without him being aware he was voicing them.

She turned.

"Michael and Morgan love having a backyard," he explained hastily.

"Most kids do," she agreed.

"So I was thinking in a few months, we could or I could look for a house," he turned to her, "depending on what you want to do?"

"Why a few months?"

"Penthouse has more security, I don't want to risk moving you two until my association with Sonny has-"

"Did you stop working with Sonny?" she cut him off in shock.

"It didn't feel right," he explained.

She studied him for a moment before nodding, "Thank you."

"I'm going to try to be best father I can be Brenda."

"You already are," she promised him.

* * *

**Oh man that was cheesy. There's a new one shot up if you're interest. It's Brenda, half with Sonny. Half with Jason. **

**Thanks for reading!!! **


	14. Familiar Places

::Sigh::

This is it. The end.

I was thinking about doing this a few other ways, but I don't know. I think this is the best. This was always one of the final scenes I saw in my head for this story, but I don't know if there should have been scenes before it or after because man I so did NOT address all of the things that have been addressed in my head. But this is it. The end. The best I could do. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**Familiar Places**

"Bunny!" the boisterous voiced called out seeing they had new guests as he headed towards them, not noticing anything particular about them first. A normal couple, jeans and tee-shirts. Hopefully they'd be interested in the super deluxe and she wouldn't be one of those woman who had always wanted to be married in jeans…Most women seemed to change their minds about that that at the last minute though. They did however have a little half pint with them, which automatically made them a peculiarity, people tended not to bring the little ones to Vegas for occasions such as this, unless they were the reason for the hasty nuptials.

"And welcome to the-" he stopped short, his smile froze, "you again."

"Hi," the brunette smiled brightly at him. "See," she elbowed the man he had married to her several years back, who grimaced slightly with the unexpected blow, "I told you he'd remember us."

"You're hard to forget," her spouse bluntly replied.

She frowned and glared at him, "You forgot me."

"I have brain damage," he gave her a disbelieving look that came along with her retort.

"Pssh," she shook her head.

"You're back," the minister of True Love, once more questioned in shock.

"Yea," she nodded, "we need you to marry us again."

"Ah," he smiled brightly, "you'd like to renew your vows."

"Oh no," she shook her hand, "we got those annulled, we need the full package."

_The full package, those were the most beautiful words in the world. _"That's right, you're one of our most famous couples. You were marrying the…." He waved his hand forgetting the details Bunny had clipped out for the scrapbook, "after your," he looked down at the tot, "legal issues."

"This was not a good idea," the former hubby shook his head.

"Nonsense, nonsense," he shot down the other man, "what more appropriate place after your true love returns to you than the True Love Wedding Chapel? **Bunny. **And with the little boy, what greater way to make him feel comfortable about being part of a new family than-"

"What?" the man who had been accused of murdering his wife's ex-boyfriend stopped his words. "He's my son."

"Ah well of course," the reverend nodded, "with those blue eyes how could he be mistaken for anyone-** Bunny!** And how do you feel about your new st-"

"Ours," the bride to be, stopped him before he said anything else to the little boy he was bending down to talk to.

"**Bunny!"** Oh yea the scary fiancée looked like he was ready to kill him. He looked down at the boy, four or five?

"This is not a good idea," deathly serious fiancée once more.

"Nonsense," he shook his head, "nonsense. What better place than the-"

"Oooh is this the happy couple?" Bunny said stopping just in time to avoid slamming into said happy couple.

"The returning happy couple," he brightly smiled with wide eyes hoping to warn her.

"Ooh we have all the newspaper clippings of you two in our scrapbook," she enthusiastically greeted Brenda. "Glad you went back to him instead of that other guy…" She shook her head, "too perfect. Can't trust a guy that looks like that."

Jason frowned.

Brenda snickered.

"Aww and they brought a little one," she squatted down to his level. "Hello doll, would you like to be the ring bearer."

Brenda harshly looked over at Jason, "Please tell me you remembered the rings this time."

"I brought mine, I thought you wanted to use our old rings."

"You bought me a ring that looks like I could go ice skating on it and you expect me to put it with that dinky old ring?"

"You know you could just say you didn't like it-"

"I never said I didn't like it, I just said it doesn't go with my old one."

"Well use that for the-" he looked down at her hand, "where is your ring?"

She waved her hand and waved a face, "I took it off when your mom was dropping off Eddie…" she waved away the thought. "You know if you'd just taken Lila's ring from Edward when he offered it."

"A ring that Edward-"

"Oh will you stop it, he's your grandfather, and anyway it was Lila's ring," she quickly retorted.

"Fine, I'll ask him for it when we get back."

"Thank you," she sharply nodded.

"You're welcome."

"Well now that that's settle kids, what do you say we get down to deciding what package you'll be interested in this time?" the good reverend smiled.

"Yea," Bunny nodded, "we just got a new bouquet in," she lifted the white bouquet, "a few squirts and" she lifted up a perfume bottle, "you'll think you're getting married in a field of flowers."

"Oh god," Brenda's hand rose to cover her mouth in reaction to those squirts.

"Are you al-" the groom and minister asked in unison.

She shook her head and took off.

"First door on your left," Bunny called out after her.

"Pre-wedding jitters happens all the time," he nodded trying to ensure his sale. "Now what do you say we decide what package-"

A wad of cash emerged from Jason's pocket. "Just do it. No smells, no clothing, no-"

"I remember," he said taking the wad of cash. "Come on Bunny let's go line everything up."

"Coming Bucky," she smiled and bounced after him.

'Bucky?' Jason mouthed to himself.

"Is it over yet?" Eddie asked looking up at his father, doing his best to be good like both of his parents had asked.

"I'm afraid not," Jason said laying a hand on his son's shoulder.

"But I wanna go in the pool!!" he whined.

"I know," his father nodded, "but trust me we're saving you a lot of pain doing it this way. They would have put us in suits."

"I hate suits," he frowned.

"Me too."

"Is it Halloween?" the little boy asked frowning as he looked around the place.

"Not for a few more months," he frowned himself, "why?"

"This place looks like Aunt Em's last year."

"Huh," he nodded looking around at the pillars, the chandeliers, the crystal, the velvet drapes. It was kinda Wyndemere-esque. "I guess it does."

"I'm gonna be a doctor," he informed his father.

Jason sat and looked at his son, "Really?"

"Uh huh," he nodded, "Dr. Quartermaine like Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Em."

"Quartermaine?" the smile that had been playing on his lips fell.

"Uh huh," he nodded. "Grandma said I could be Dr. Morgan, but Poppy said that I wouldn't be like Grandpa if I wasn't Dr. Quartermaine."

"Really?" _he was going to kill that old man. _

"Yea," he nodded again, and spun on his foot in a circle, "or a ninja."

-x-X-x-

"And there's our blushing bride," Bucky informed with a smile as Brenda walked back into the room within seconds of his own return.

"Smell gone?" she ignored him and asked Jason.

"I think so."

"No more smells," she ordered walking into the room.

"I already told him."

"I'm not kidding," she threatened the minister.

"Not a problem, here at the True Love Wedding Chapel, we pride ourselves on catering to our clients' individual."

"Jaime!"/"Eddie!" the names overlapped at the young boy was attempting to reach the pink cake.

"What?" he looked back innocently at them.

"Okay we need to speed this up," she ordered Bucky.

"Eager to tie the knot as always," his eyes widened. "Perhaps though," he couldn't believe he was saying this, "this is something you should take more time considering."

Bunny almost dropped the little pillow she'd found for the boy…_Just because they didn't have rings didn't mean he couldn't still be the ring bearer. _Bucky waved her away.

"Oh no," Brenda shook her head. "I'm not going through that."

"Are you sure-" Jason began to ask, not all wanting a big wedding or even a wedding where they knew anyone aside from each other, but she had, several times.

"I am **not** picking out another wedding dress," she glared at him.

"You don't-"

"What?" she gave him attitude, "Don't need all the hoopla?" she vigorously nodded, "I'd like you to try telling that to your family.

"Why are they my family when they do something annoying?"

"Probably because it's the only time I see them as you do," she nodded back at him.

"Jaime tell her what you're going to be for Halloween," he asked his son.

"Dr. Quartermaine," he looked up at his mother.

Brown eyes widened.

"Tell her why."

"Because Poppy said I couldn't be a doctor like Grandma, Grampa and Aunt Em if I wasn't a Quartermaine."

She suddenly snickered.

"That's not funny," he informed the mother of his child.

"No," she shook her head and made stopping cut off motions with the hand in front of her face, "it really kinda is."

"Brenda," he ordered.

"I'm sorry," she tried to stifle her laughter, "oh come on Jase, it's one day. He'll grow up to be Dr. Morgan, won't you Eddie?"

He looked up with his father's eyes, "But I wanna be a bowler."

His father smirked. "Admirable goal Jaime."

The wife to be frowned at the husband to be.

"Or maybe a cowboy."

She smirked again to Jason. "You two tried to save six birds this summer Jason, you should really come to terms with it, it's either a vet or a doctor and judging by his lineage…"

He continued to frown, not that he had anything against Jaime being a doctor… "Dr. Quartermaine?"

"Oh come on," she waved her hand at him, "it'll be cute." She hunkered down to her son's level and swept brown waves to the side, "We'll spray your hair black. Get a white coat, you already have stethoscope. You need a new suit anyway."

He looked up at his father, "I don't wanna wear a suit."

His father's turn to smirk.

"That's okay," his mother shot his father a dirty look, "I'm sure Aunt Robin knows where we can get a pair of scrubs in your size. She's not much bigger than you," she teased and tapped her son on the nose before she should.

"So the wedding?" Bucky asked again.

"Brenda?" Jason questioned.

"I'm not going through that Jason," she shook her head. "They've been on us to get married again for two years. It's bad enough I'm going to have to listen to Carly about you only marrying me because of the baby."

"If she does that, it's only because you did it to her first," he pointed out.

"Yea well," she nodded, "I was right."

He sighed, "Brenda if I was marrying you because of a child, wouldn't we already be married?"

She glared at him, "That did not make it better."

"Brenda, we have a son, a house, a dog, two hamsters, a fish tank that we only got because you promised to clean it."

"They live in water," she defended, "how was I supposed to know they would be that smelly? And you know all of that stuff. Two years Jason. That's how long I've been hearing, w_hen are you two going to get married again? _So either we get married now or it's going to be three months of constant planning, tasting different foods, being harassed about flowers and me having to walk down the aisle looking like a whale."

"You wouldn't-"

"Oh no, trust me, I would. And did I mention people taking bets on if I actually make it to the altar? Or the wedding being legit? And don't even look at me over that last one, yours didn't turn out better than mine did on that front."

"Fine, so we'll get married here," he snapped back.

"Fine," she spun and faced the reverend.

"Let's do this," Jason nodded.

"You sure?" Bucky asked.

"No," Brenda's voice lifted and both men turned to her. "No cake."

"But Mom it's just sitting there," there was a camera snap of the little boy standing forlornly next to the cake.

"It's not your cake to eat," she told him, "who knows where the hell that thing has been," she muttered under her breath, "we'll get you a snack after okay?"

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Come stay over here with me buddy," Jason opened his side to his son.

"We need to hurry this thing up," Brenda nodded sharply at Bucky any good mood she might have been in beforehand had disappeared with the arrival of that bouquet.

"Bunny!"

"Are we ready?" she asked skidding into the room, hopeful the money would remain in their pocket.

"Yes"/"Yea," overlapped.

"Now would you like to recite your-"

"Just marry us," she gave him the evil eye. She wanted to go back to the hotel, put on her jammies and brush her teeth.

"Dearly beloved," he began.

They both glared.

"Do you Brenda Barrett take this man, Jason Morgan to be your lawfully wedded-"

"Oh god do we really need to go through all of that again?" she shook her head at him. "Yes to everything. Well except for the obey part," she turned to Jason, "still not gonna happen."

"I didn't think it was," he smirked.

"So that's an-" Bucky prodded.

"I do."

"And do you-" he turned to Jason.

"I do," he nodded.

"Okay then," he nodded back at them and placed another phony smile on his face thankful it was at least almost over, "then by the power invested in me by the state of Nevada I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now-"

"You kiss me, I'll punch you," she informed her now husband, "that'd just be gross."

"Is it over?" Eddie asked looking up at his father.

"Thankfully yes," he said with a relieved expression.

"We just need your parents to sign something real quick and you can be out of here buddy," Bucky smiled down, hopeful they wouldn't be returning in another few years.

"Then we can go to the pool?"

"That was the deal," he promised his son, leading him up the aisle. "We'll put your trunks on and go down to the pool while your mom rests."

"I'm supposed to rest while you're down at the pool?"

"Fine," he shook his head, "we'll find a spot with an umbrella and you can-"

"What? Lie there like an invalid? I'm pregnant Jason not sick."

"I thought you were tired."

"I'm fine."

"Brenda it's really hot out there. Last time you-"

"So I got a little dizzy."

"You passed out. Cold."

"We'll be in the water, I'll be fine."

"Whatever you say Brenda," he conceded.

"Smart move," Bucky muttered under his breath to the other man.

She glared at him, "Don't do the placate the moody pregnant woman."

"I would never dream of it," Bucky lied.

-x-X-x-

"Hmm," Bunny pondered as she pulled out their scrapbook ready to update it. "Was their little boy's name Eddie or Jaime?"

"I have no idea, but hopefully he does," Bucky said watching the couple from the window.

"Think they'll be marrying other people within a year again?" Bunny asked more familiar with the stories in their scrapbook than he.

"I don't know," Bucky pondered as he continued to watch the not so happy couple by their car. Jason had turned on the car, opened the windows and then jogged next door to the convenience store that had cropped up last year. He returned as she decided it was cool enough to strap their son into his booster seat in the backseat of the rented black SUV. He uncapped a bottle of iced tea before handing it to her; she smiled thankfully before she took a sip. She gave him an embarrassed smile as she squinted upwards because of the bright sun, he laughed and suddenly pulled her in close to him and just held her. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head before he pulled away and headed around the car to climb into the driver's side. "I think they're going to make it this time Bunny."

* * *

Hmmph. I don't want this story to end. I like it. (Umm if you couldn't tell that by the fact that I think it grew to about double its size… Though I swear once more I did complete the chapters I expected to within the time frame I expected to, you know that first month and now here's the ending a YEAR later. :-P) 

**I want to thank everyone for the awesome reviews, they were great. Thank you soooo much for reading!!! I hope you guys liked the story at least half as much as you claimed to. :-P**

I'm going to start work on "An Unexpected Family" in a couple weeks once the crazy December-ness is coming to an end, but expect to see a lot of "Slippery Slope" during that time because I don't need to think about it, so it fits easily into its role as a procrastination task. :-P

And I'm assuming for those who read "We Were Friends Once," you wouldn't mind if I just kinda picked it up again, writing it with a different style just so I could finish the story without having to inflict pain upon myself by trying to read and fix the other chapters?


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